From Scratch

Chapter 9: Grave Misunderstandings

"What... what do you mean?"

Danny stared wide-eyed at the two maids, whose looks showed nothing but cold collectedness.

"Master has been solidified in his opinion that you are a spy."

"Really, Ram? And he sent you two to catch a potentially dangerous person? Sheesh, he doesn't care at all."

In truth, it hurt. Really hurt. He may have spent only a couple of days here, but he had developed sympathy for the twins. Now they were just... brushing it all off, all his attempts at making them realise what the villagers did turned out to be null and pointless. They used him. It all made sense now. All those chores were meant to keep an eye on him! They accused him of something so ludicrous he would have laughed had it not hurt so much. Thus, the only emotion that surfaced, was anger, displayed through the glowing green eyes and his shaking fist.

Ram swiped her hand, and a gust of wind flew Danny's way. Phantom dodged at the last moment. The wind hit the nearest tree and cut it in half, leaving the teen in a state of shock.

"Don't you dare say such things about Master."

"You almost killed me," Danny whispered.

"But you are fine. This time hold still."

Phantom met another strike with a green shield, dispersed the torrent, but the very edges of the blades of wind left their cuts on his hands, ripping the fabric and spilling blood.

"You don't know what you are getting into!" He raised his voice. "I don't want to harm you two!"

"Then tell us everything."

"I can't tell something I have no relation to! You don't even know if I am an actual spy!"

"Master has his reasons to believe otherwise."

When this was over, Roswaal was going to get a punch into the face. As Phantom refused to attack, he had to go back under the relentless assault of wind magic. She couldn't break through the shield no matter what, but the barrier had to be fully encompassing, or the wind would still get inside and cut him. Then, upon calming down from the initial surprise, Phantom went intangible. The first couple of strikes hit him dead on, but then passed right through, hitting the trees behind and almost entirely depriving them of their leaves. Ram looked stunned at seeing him entirely unharmed. Phantom glared at the pink-haired maid, beginning his approach.

"I am trying to be nice here."

"El fura!"

Another blast, another hit, another miss.

"It is rather pointless. You can't hit me with such straightforward attacks. You are a smart girl, Ram, you should realise this."

Growling, Ram fired another gust of wind. Sighing as the torrent passed him, Danny became tangible again.

"Look. I keep saying that I don't want this! Just calm down and let us sort out what made you think this way of me! Wait... where is..."

The rattle of chains reached his ears at the last moment, when the previous silence allowed for that. Danny looked in direction of the newest strike, and then something sharp and extremely heavy hit him right in the chest. Coughing up blood, Phantom was flung several meters away, but somehow managing to stand on his feet. Several ribs of his were obviously broken.

"Get away from my sister!" Rem commanded, in her hands a giant morning star on a chain.

"Damn it," Danny coughed. "And it all went so well."

It was just like before. Like on that accursed day when his parents did not receive a scratch while beating him up. He tried to talk sense into them and failed. And if such an outcome was during the conversation with his own parents, what was there to say about the maids who had known him for less than a week? The voice inside whispered things. Angry, furious things, it was the same feeling he had felt back then, before the first slaughter took place. His core tried to repair what was broken before he could die again. His eyes glowed brighter, as Phantom began to pull on that energy. In the meantime, however, he began to laugh.