Danny Fenton [ P H A N T O M ] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ordinarily) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thelegion2018-01-10 05:35 pm
ordinarily) wrote in thelegion2018-01-10 05:35 pm
Entry tags:
audio | before everything goes down
So uh. [ Pause. ] Hi, I guess.
[ The feed sounds a bit muffled, as if he's holding the omnicom against something. Possibly himself, although it's hard to tell. ]
Feels kind of stupid to do something like this, really, but... honestly, I've been thinking a lot, and I've hit the point where I just kind of need to... get stuff out there, you know? I mean, we're fighting the end of the universe here, and everyone's acting like we're just gonna go out there, do our best, and win. Like all we have to do is hope hard enough, and it'll happen.
And I get it, it's a comforting thought. You do your best, and everything's gonna be fine. But it's the end of everything. Every universe. And... I mean...
[ A moment of silence, as he gathers his thoughts. ]
Who says we're all gonna survive this...?
[ It's spoken carefully, like he shouldn't have been saying that. Like saying the sentence is taboo. ]
I've been here for months, man.
Months of being part of a group of superheroes, where everyone's out there doing their best, and I'm just sitting here too scared to tell them my freaking name. Like, really, who was "Ghost Boy" gonna fool here? It's such a stupid name, I can't believe more people didn't call me out on it. I mean, there's the internet, but that never counts. And God, just hearing it makes me think of every sleazeball villain I've ever had to fight back home...
Like, really, what am I even scared of? That they'll hate me? That they'll chase me around like everyone else did? That they'll think I'm some kind of freak?
Who's gonna think I'm a freak in the space future? With time travel? And cancer dimensions? And planet eaters?
Who. Even. Cares?
[ His voice keeps escalating, sounding increasingly more frustrated. Until finally, he sighs. ]
I just... I hate it. I hate myself for it. I hate that I wasted everyone's time by pretending to be something I'm not.
And I really hate that it took the end of everything being around the corner for me to see that.
Because I'm an idiot.
[ Another sigh, followed by another moment of silence. ]
So you know what?
Forget it.
I'm done keeping secrets. I'm done lying to the people who would die to save everything. It's stupid, I hate it, it makes me miserable, and worst case scenario? If everyone hates me for it, then I'll only have to deal with it until I probably die tomorrow or something.
[ This time, the pause is longer. Some shuffling audible, as he seemingly lies down on his bed. ]
For what it's worth? I wasn't lying about my hometown, or my parents. Amity Park's super haunted, and my parents are totally professional ghost hunters. Like... okay, they're not good ghost hunters, but still, they get paid, and show up on magazines, and stuff like that. So technically still professional.
But um. You know that ghost portal we have in the basement? The one that I constantly talk about how no one knows how it got turned on and stuff, that the ghosts keep coming out of?
I kind of... was the one who turned it on, actually.
[ He pauses, as if expecting immediate backlash. When nothing happens, he continues. ]
I mean, in my defense, I didn't think it actually worked. Like, Sam wanted it to work, so we could explore the Ghost Zone, but come on. Mom and dad tried it, it was a bust, what the heck were we gonna do that they didn't already try?
Well, as it turns out, the answer was: press the freaking ON button. Inside the portal.
Like, first of all, who does that? Who puts the ON button on the inside? I get dad doing something like that on accident, he's not really... normal. But how did mom not catch that? Like, how do you even turn the portal on without someone standing in there to press the button? Use a stick?
... Actually, yeah, I could've probably used a stick, now that I think about it. [ A sigh. ] Maybe if I wasn't a C student, I would've thought of that before going inside.
[ A moment of silence, as he just presumably lays there. ]
So, just throwing it out there? Don't turn on an inter-dimensional portal with you still inside it.
It hurts.
A lot.
[ Another moment of silence, before another sigh slips out. ]
Anyway, I got electrocuted, and came out of there with ghost powers. No joke, it was just... you know, your typical lab accident kind of thing. Granted, I was kind of freaking out too hard to really think about how superhero-y the whole thing sounds, but... yeah. Lab accident. Ghost powers. Slap a logo on my chest, and bam.
Suddenly I'm... [ He clears his throat, his voice getting incredibly theatrical and exaggerated. ] Danny Phantom, ghostly superhero of Amity Park. Bad guys, beware!
[ He chuckles a bit. The handful of people he's already talked to about his powers probably got that reference. ]
Or, you know, I would be. If it was actually that simple.
[ The chuckling dies down. ]
Let's just say that... well, no one really likes me. Like, okay, I'm used to everyone hating me at school, but no one's really tried to kill me over it. Turns out, if you start making a name for yourself hunting ghosts, they don't like you a lot.
And then you get weirdos like Skulker, who suddenly decide that it's okay to hunt you back. Or Ember, who hypnotized the whole town with a hit single. Or Technus, who made a giant robot out of computer parts, and infected an online game. Or Spectra, who's just the worst school counselor. Like, the actual worst. Or Walker, who likes to follow the rules, even if those rules are stupid.
You know who reminds me of Walker?
America.
[ A pause. ]
... But I probably shouldn't be saying that. I mean, she's super into the law and stuff, but at least she doesn't make the laws. And they're probably not stupid on purpose, like Walker. Oh, you accidentally dropped an anniversary present in the portal, better keep you in jail for a thousand years.
Yeah, no.
Anyway, he really hates me. Like, a lot. I kind of started a riot, and broke out of his stupid jail, so then he came back and pretty much took over my entire town. I'm not kidding, full on ghost invasion. Started overshadowing pretty much everyone, and then when I tried to stop him, he made it look like I was the bad guy who caused everything.
Which, you know. I wasn't. But good luck telling that to a town that already hates ghosts thanks to my parents constantly going on about how ghosts are evil and stuff.
[ His voice turns a bit sour. ]
Which is actually the worst part, you know? The fact that my parents are probably the biggest ghost haters in the entire town. Acting like they know everything, like they know that Danny Phantom's just here to make everyone miserable.
What the heck do they actually know? Do they know that this is their fault? That it was their stupid portal that caused all this? That I'm just trying my best to clean up their stupid mess?
--Oh! [ His voice perks up. ] And speaking of their stupid mess, oh man, lemme tell you about the biggest bowl of fruit loops I've ever freaking met.
Vlad Masters.
[ There's an edge of enthusiasm in his voice, but there's still a sour undertone beneath it all. Like he's being sarcastic. ]
Okay so, this guy. He went to college with my mom and dad, helped them out with their first ghost portal prototype, and got a shot of ectoplasm to the face because of it. Which, alright, that sucks, but! Then he starts blaming my dad for ruining his whole life, because he didn't get to marry my mom, and acts like his whole life's just one big sob story.
Like, dude. You're a billionaire. Cry into your money some more, fruitloop.
Oh, and he got ghost powers too. Which he used to get rich. So, you know. Zero sympathy turned into negative empathy.
Oh woe is me, I didn't get to date the girl I liked! I guess I better use my ghost powers to make myself a bed full of money so I can cry into it!
Boo freaking hoo.
Anyway, he wants to kill my dad, marry my mom, and make me his son. And he's got some dumb vampire theme going on, which is stupid, because he's a ghost. I'm telling you, like, every stereotype you can think of for an evil business man bad guy, he's it. Literally all that's missing is him sitting in his office stroking a cat with lightning flashing behind him.
[ His enthusiasm dies down, that same somber attitude returning. It's easy to play things off like they don't bother him when he trivializes it. ]
... I make jokes, but I hate it.
[ It's sudden, blurted out. ]
I hate that everyone hates me. That I'm just trying to help, and everything gets thrown back in my face.
My parents hate me. The town hates me. The ghosts hate me. Even the government hates me. I've seen so many newspaper headlines calling me a ghost menace, that I could probably cook dinner with the amount of heat I get. And you know what? It sucks, to have everyone treat you like that.
But like... I can't let it get to me, you know? Cause then I start making stupid mistakes, and people get hurt. So I just kind of have to play it off, act like it doesn't bother me. Laugh at my own dumb jokes, so I don't have to think about how my parents wanna destroy the ghost, or dissect the ghost, or tear the ghost apart.
Molecule. By molecule.
Or how the government wants to perform experiments on me. Lots and lots of really painful experiments.
These are all their words, by the way. The whole 'molecule by molecule' and 'really painful experiments' bit. I hear that stuff on repeat in my head.
[ He sighs, laying in silence. ]
... The worst part is, they're kind of right. About the whole 'ghosts are dangerous' thing.
Half the bad guys I fight could pass of as Saturday morning villains, but then you've got the real threats. The dangerous ones. The ones that suck the whole town up into the Ghost Zone, or destroy the world in the future, or rewrite reality.
[ A pause. ]
Actually, that last one was a human. But he had so much ghost envy, he probably counts anyway.
But like, how do you convince people that you're not that dangerous, when even the world around you wants to prove you wrong? Freakshow took over my mind one time, and had me robbing banks. I went to the future once, and it turns out I turn into a big supervillain that destroys everything. Oh and, you know, getting the whole town sucked into the Ghost Zone.
That kind of bears repeating.
[ He pauses, not really sure how to proceed. He's hitting the point where he's close to wallowing, and he doesn't wanna do that. ]
... It's just easier to not tell anyone.
[ A bitter chuckle. ]
Well, back home, it's easier. Here, it's actually harder to hide it. Pretending I'm just some normal kid... really, who was I kidding? I wasn't a normal kid even before I got ghost powers. When I wasn't the freak, I was the loser.
The loser freak who can't really do anything, because the only powers I got were freaking intangibility and invisibility.
The Time Trapper really nailed it there.
[ He isn't being fair, and he knows it. But he's frustrated, and angry, and bitter. ]
Anyway, I guess this is kind of a... last will, or something. Since we might end up dead, and I don't want people to wonder about me, you know? I've kept enough secrets, I don't wanna really... lie to people anymore.
... So uh, if we make it, but I'm dead, someone break it to my older sister first. She's the smart one, and she already knows about me, so she probably knows how to break it to mom and dad. She'll probably tell Sam and Tucker, and um... [ A dry gulp. ] ... They um... they already... know about me, so... [ Sniff. ] ... Just... someone tell them that I miss them. And that Tucker would love all the tech here. And that Sam would love that everything's vegan. And um...
... Yeah, no, I can't do this.
[ Shuffling, as he stands up from his bed. ]
This is dumb, and sappy, and stupid, and I'm not just gonna quit! [ He yells that out, everything giving way to anger. ] What kind of idiot am I, that I'm just gonna act like everyone's gonna die and there's nothing I can do about it?! Like, yeah, I can't do anything with my current powers, but you know what?! The Time Trapper's not the damn boss of me!
You think you can just take away my powers?! You think I'm just gonna sit here, and accept that?!
Screw you!
I've lost my powers before! And I've gotten them back before!
And you know what-- oh man, the T-Gates! [ The enthusiasm in that revelation is almost palpable. ] Why didn't I think of that before!
[ The feed becomes a bit indecipherable, as Danny tosses the omnicom aside. The sounds of him putting his clothes on, walking to the door, opening it, closing it, all audible. The feed continues in silence, before timing out. ]
( ooc: Danny won't answer immediately. He'll be off doing something dumb with the T-Gates, although Brainy will stop him before anything happens. These are some of the things I wrote for Danny's Legacy, that I never submitted on time. So I rewrote everything like an audio log, to kind of give his character arc some closure. So bam. )
[ The feed sounds a bit muffled, as if he's holding the omnicom against something. Possibly himself, although it's hard to tell. ]
Feels kind of stupid to do something like this, really, but... honestly, I've been thinking a lot, and I've hit the point where I just kind of need to... get stuff out there, you know? I mean, we're fighting the end of the universe here, and everyone's acting like we're just gonna go out there, do our best, and win. Like all we have to do is hope hard enough, and it'll happen.
And I get it, it's a comforting thought. You do your best, and everything's gonna be fine. But it's the end of everything. Every universe. And... I mean...
[ A moment of silence, as he gathers his thoughts. ]
Who says we're all gonna survive this...?
[ It's spoken carefully, like he shouldn't have been saying that. Like saying the sentence is taboo. ]
I've been here for months, man.
Months of being part of a group of superheroes, where everyone's out there doing their best, and I'm just sitting here too scared to tell them my freaking name. Like, really, who was "Ghost Boy" gonna fool here? It's such a stupid name, I can't believe more people didn't call me out on it. I mean, there's the internet, but that never counts. And God, just hearing it makes me think of every sleazeball villain I've ever had to fight back home...
Like, really, what am I even scared of? That they'll hate me? That they'll chase me around like everyone else did? That they'll think I'm some kind of freak?
Who's gonna think I'm a freak in the space future? With time travel? And cancer dimensions? And planet eaters?
Who. Even. Cares?
[ His voice keeps escalating, sounding increasingly more frustrated. Until finally, he sighs. ]
I just... I hate it. I hate myself for it. I hate that I wasted everyone's time by pretending to be something I'm not.
And I really hate that it took the end of everything being around the corner for me to see that.
Because I'm an idiot.
[ Another sigh, followed by another moment of silence. ]
So you know what?
Forget it.
I'm done keeping secrets. I'm done lying to the people who would die to save everything. It's stupid, I hate it, it makes me miserable, and worst case scenario? If everyone hates me for it, then I'll only have to deal with it until I probably die tomorrow or something.
[ This time, the pause is longer. Some shuffling audible, as he seemingly lies down on his bed. ]
For what it's worth? I wasn't lying about my hometown, or my parents. Amity Park's super haunted, and my parents are totally professional ghost hunters. Like... okay, they're not good ghost hunters, but still, they get paid, and show up on magazines, and stuff like that. So technically still professional.
But um. You know that ghost portal we have in the basement? The one that I constantly talk about how no one knows how it got turned on and stuff, that the ghosts keep coming out of?
I kind of... was the one who turned it on, actually.
[ He pauses, as if expecting immediate backlash. When nothing happens, he continues. ]
I mean, in my defense, I didn't think it actually worked. Like, Sam wanted it to work, so we could explore the Ghost Zone, but come on. Mom and dad tried it, it was a bust, what the heck were we gonna do that they didn't already try?
Well, as it turns out, the answer was: press the freaking ON button. Inside the portal.
Like, first of all, who does that? Who puts the ON button on the inside? I get dad doing something like that on accident, he's not really... normal. But how did mom not catch that? Like, how do you even turn the portal on without someone standing in there to press the button? Use a stick?
... Actually, yeah, I could've probably used a stick, now that I think about it. [ A sigh. ] Maybe if I wasn't a C student, I would've thought of that before going inside.
[ A moment of silence, as he just presumably lays there. ]
So, just throwing it out there? Don't turn on an inter-dimensional portal with you still inside it.
It hurts.
A lot.
[ Another moment of silence, before another sigh slips out. ]
Anyway, I got electrocuted, and came out of there with ghost powers. No joke, it was just... you know, your typical lab accident kind of thing. Granted, I was kind of freaking out too hard to really think about how superhero-y the whole thing sounds, but... yeah. Lab accident. Ghost powers. Slap a logo on my chest, and bam.
Suddenly I'm... [ He clears his throat, his voice getting incredibly theatrical and exaggerated. ] Danny Phantom, ghostly superhero of Amity Park. Bad guys, beware!
[ He chuckles a bit. The handful of people he's already talked to about his powers probably got that reference. ]
Or, you know, I would be. If it was actually that simple.
[ The chuckling dies down. ]
Let's just say that... well, no one really likes me. Like, okay, I'm used to everyone hating me at school, but no one's really tried to kill me over it. Turns out, if you start making a name for yourself hunting ghosts, they don't like you a lot.
And then you get weirdos like Skulker, who suddenly decide that it's okay to hunt you back. Or Ember, who hypnotized the whole town with a hit single. Or Technus, who made a giant robot out of computer parts, and infected an online game. Or Spectra, who's just the worst school counselor. Like, the actual worst. Or Walker, who likes to follow the rules, even if those rules are stupid.
You know who reminds me of Walker?
America.
[ A pause. ]
... But I probably shouldn't be saying that. I mean, she's super into the law and stuff, but at least she doesn't make the laws. And they're probably not stupid on purpose, like Walker. Oh, you accidentally dropped an anniversary present in the portal, better keep you in jail for a thousand years.
Yeah, no.
Anyway, he really hates me. Like, a lot. I kind of started a riot, and broke out of his stupid jail, so then he came back and pretty much took over my entire town. I'm not kidding, full on ghost invasion. Started overshadowing pretty much everyone, and then when I tried to stop him, he made it look like I was the bad guy who caused everything.
Which, you know. I wasn't. But good luck telling that to a town that already hates ghosts thanks to my parents constantly going on about how ghosts are evil and stuff.
[ His voice turns a bit sour. ]
Which is actually the worst part, you know? The fact that my parents are probably the biggest ghost haters in the entire town. Acting like they know everything, like they know that Danny Phantom's just here to make everyone miserable.
What the heck do they actually know? Do they know that this is their fault? That it was their stupid portal that caused all this? That I'm just trying my best to clean up their stupid mess?
--Oh! [ His voice perks up. ] And speaking of their stupid mess, oh man, lemme tell you about the biggest bowl of fruit loops I've ever freaking met.
Vlad Masters.
[ There's an edge of enthusiasm in his voice, but there's still a sour undertone beneath it all. Like he's being sarcastic. ]
Okay so, this guy. He went to college with my mom and dad, helped them out with their first ghost portal prototype, and got a shot of ectoplasm to the face because of it. Which, alright, that sucks, but! Then he starts blaming my dad for ruining his whole life, because he didn't get to marry my mom, and acts like his whole life's just one big sob story.
Like, dude. You're a billionaire. Cry into your money some more, fruitloop.
Oh, and he got ghost powers too. Which he used to get rich. So, you know. Zero sympathy turned into negative empathy.
Oh woe is me, I didn't get to date the girl I liked! I guess I better use my ghost powers to make myself a bed full of money so I can cry into it!
Boo freaking hoo.
Anyway, he wants to kill my dad, marry my mom, and make me his son. And he's got some dumb vampire theme going on, which is stupid, because he's a ghost. I'm telling you, like, every stereotype you can think of for an evil business man bad guy, he's it. Literally all that's missing is him sitting in his office stroking a cat with lightning flashing behind him.
[ His enthusiasm dies down, that same somber attitude returning. It's easy to play things off like they don't bother him when he trivializes it. ]
... I make jokes, but I hate it.
[ It's sudden, blurted out. ]
I hate that everyone hates me. That I'm just trying to help, and everything gets thrown back in my face.
My parents hate me. The town hates me. The ghosts hate me. Even the government hates me. I've seen so many newspaper headlines calling me a ghost menace, that I could probably cook dinner with the amount of heat I get. And you know what? It sucks, to have everyone treat you like that.
But like... I can't let it get to me, you know? Cause then I start making stupid mistakes, and people get hurt. So I just kind of have to play it off, act like it doesn't bother me. Laugh at my own dumb jokes, so I don't have to think about how my parents wanna destroy the ghost, or dissect the ghost, or tear the ghost apart.
Molecule. By molecule.
Or how the government wants to perform experiments on me. Lots and lots of really painful experiments.
These are all their words, by the way. The whole 'molecule by molecule' and 'really painful experiments' bit. I hear that stuff on repeat in my head.
[ He sighs, laying in silence. ]
... The worst part is, they're kind of right. About the whole 'ghosts are dangerous' thing.
Half the bad guys I fight could pass of as Saturday morning villains, but then you've got the real threats. The dangerous ones. The ones that suck the whole town up into the Ghost Zone, or destroy the world in the future, or rewrite reality.
[ A pause. ]
Actually, that last one was a human. But he had so much ghost envy, he probably counts anyway.
But like, how do you convince people that you're not that dangerous, when even the world around you wants to prove you wrong? Freakshow took over my mind one time, and had me robbing banks. I went to the future once, and it turns out I turn into a big supervillain that destroys everything. Oh and, you know, getting the whole town sucked into the Ghost Zone.
That kind of bears repeating.
[ He pauses, not really sure how to proceed. He's hitting the point where he's close to wallowing, and he doesn't wanna do that. ]
... It's just easier to not tell anyone.
[ A bitter chuckle. ]
Well, back home, it's easier. Here, it's actually harder to hide it. Pretending I'm just some normal kid... really, who was I kidding? I wasn't a normal kid even before I got ghost powers. When I wasn't the freak, I was the loser.
The loser freak who can't really do anything, because the only powers I got were freaking intangibility and invisibility.
The Time Trapper really nailed it there.
[ He isn't being fair, and he knows it. But he's frustrated, and angry, and bitter. ]
Anyway, I guess this is kind of a... last will, or something. Since we might end up dead, and I don't want people to wonder about me, you know? I've kept enough secrets, I don't wanna really... lie to people anymore.
... So uh, if we make it, but I'm dead, someone break it to my older sister first. She's the smart one, and she already knows about me, so she probably knows how to break it to mom and dad. She'll probably tell Sam and Tucker, and um... [ A dry gulp. ] ... They um... they already... know about me, so... [ Sniff. ] ... Just... someone tell them that I miss them. And that Tucker would love all the tech here. And that Sam would love that everything's vegan. And um...
... Yeah, no, I can't do this.
[ Shuffling, as he stands up from his bed. ]
This is dumb, and sappy, and stupid, and I'm not just gonna quit! [ He yells that out, everything giving way to anger. ] What kind of idiot am I, that I'm just gonna act like everyone's gonna die and there's nothing I can do about it?! Like, yeah, I can't do anything with my current powers, but you know what?! The Time Trapper's not the damn boss of me!
You think you can just take away my powers?! You think I'm just gonna sit here, and accept that?!
Screw you!
I've lost my powers before! And I've gotten them back before!
And you know what-- oh man, the T-Gates! [ The enthusiasm in that revelation is almost palpable. ] Why didn't I think of that before!
[ The feed becomes a bit indecipherable, as Danny tosses the omnicom aside. The sounds of him putting his clothes on, walking to the door, opening it, closing it, all audible. The feed continues in silence, before timing out. ]
( ooc: Danny won't answer immediately. He'll be off doing something dumb with the T-Gates, although Brainy will stop him before anything happens. These are some of the things I wrote for Danny's Legacy, that I never submitted on time. So I rewrote everything like an audio log, to kind of give his character arc some closure. So bam. )