Let's Make A Statement

Part Of Me

The next morning everyone was up but none of them had seen Danny, when breakfast was ready he came down and ate without saying a word. No one said anything for a few minutes, then Isabella spoke, "Danny, about what happened at the dance."

"If it's anything along the lines of 'are you okay' then don't say it because I am not in the mood."

"It's not that, when you were fighting those guys, when you looked different, why did you act different?"

"Because Danny and Phantom are different people."

They all looked confused, Lucas spoke, "Like multiple personality disorder?"

"No, when I change I don't have to be someone else, I'm not actually angry all the time and hate everyone. I had to learn to act like this so people wouldn't mess with me, Phantom is part of me, the only good thing I had for a long time."

Artemis spoke, "So Phantom is you when you don't have to act?"

"Pretty much, Toxin likes when I'm Phantom because I'm happier, can't say I don't agree."

They were all quiet for a minute, he had to hide who he was all the time and his only relief was when he was Phantom. Barbara spoke, "Hold on, you call yourself Phantom when you're like that?"

"No, other people do, I'm not known by many humans but I am known to others, they gave me the name."

Richard spoke, "So other people know you when you're like that?"

"Yes, they know me very well."

They looked at each other, they had no idea who knew about Danny but they were curious now. Lucas spoke, "So, um, you have powers and you know how to fight, so what do you do as Phantom?"

"Fight criminals, among other things."

They all stared at him, though three of them had to act like they were surprised, and Isabella spoke, "So you're a hero?"

"No."

"How are you not?"

"We don't think we're better then the people we fight, and we don't do it while working for law enforcement or the government. The term, if you want to give it one at all, is vigilante, do not call us heroes."

They all looked at each other again, they knew Danny's standing on heroes and finding out he was a hero but didn't consider himself to be one was odd to them. Three of them knew he'd been going out every night for at least a week looking for a murderer even when he was being hunted by heroes.

Richard spoke, "So if you go after criminals did you do that in other places you've been?"

"Yes I did, but I didn't have annoying heroes coming after me, not even the police."

Lucas spoke, "What do you mean annoying heroes going after you?"

"They think we murdered someone, they found us with a body and we've been hunting the murderer but they keep getting in our way. I did steal Toxin from a government building but I'd rather die then kill someone, though someone already half ass that job so take that as you will."

Toxin spoke, 'And I would like to tear their head off.'

"I know you would but let's not do that."

Artemis spoke, "Hold on, what do you mean someone half assed the job?"

"I'm half dead, and I mean that literally I'm half ghost ectoplasm and all."

Mary spoke, "How is that possible?"

"Long story, to put it simply I was electrocuted to death but it was ectoenergy so while killing me it also saved me, changed my DNA, now I'm a half dead freak of nature."

Richard immediately spoke, "You are not anywhere close to a freak of nature, but how did you get electrocuted?"

"I was murdered, five years I was missing did you think nothing happened in that time?"

They all paused, John looked mad, well several of them did but John looked more mad then anyone, aside from maybe Richard. Mary hesitantly spoke, "Who killed you?"

"A bunch of government assholes, now drop it."

They were all silent for a minute, Isabella broke the silence, "Okay, going back to the heroes looking for you, why don't you just tell them you're innocent?"

"We tried, they didn't believe us and wanted to lock us up, so we've been hunting the murderer bith to prove our innocence and to stop them from killing anyone else."

Toxin growled to himself, 'Which we likely would have done by now if they didn't get in our way.'

"Yes I know, but heroes or not we'll find a way to catch them, I'm more concerned with what can tear someone's head off in seconds."

They all stared at him in shock, Barbara spoke, "Seconds, they tore someone's head off in seconds?"

"Yes, we stopped a store robber, something dragged him up to a roof, it took us seconds to follow and the guy was missing an arm and his head. So we're looking for someone or something that can tear a man's head off, and we know it was torn because of the wounds."

Lucas spoke, "That is messed up."

"You're talking to a guy that's half dead and has a Symbiote living in his body, messed up or not it doesn't really phase me."

Toxin spoke, 'I have seen and done worse, such carnage does not phase me either.'

"And that furthers my point."

Artemis spoke, "What does?"

"Toxin isn't phased either, from what he's told me things like this are normal for his species."

Richard spoke, "Are there others like him?"

"Yes, though most of them are not his friends."

They all went silent, after a few seconds Danny got up and went up to his room, a few minutes later Richard got up and he went to Danny's room. He knocked on the door before trying to open it, it was unlocked and he walked in, Danny was just sitting on his bed. Richard closed the door and sat next to him while making sure Danny had time to tell him not to.

They both sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Richard spoke, "Do you, um, want to talk about yesterday?"

"Which part?"

Richard felt a bit nervous and he cleared his throat, "Well, um, we kissed, and you said you liked me, but we never got a chance to talk about it."

Danny was quiet for a few seconds, "Look, you can just forget about it."

"But I don't want to forget about it, everything I told you was true, I like you, a lot."

"Can you seriously tell me you'd want to date me knowing I'm half dead and have a Symbiote living in my body?"

"Yes, you've made it clear that you've got issues and after everything you've been through you have every right to. But I don't care, and I know you're half dead and have Toxin living in your body but I still like you. Honestly I just want to get to know Toxin now since you seem to care about him, if you want him around then so do I, I want both of you around."

Danny clearly didn't believe him, "Maybe you haven't been paying attention, your team is hunting me. Not only that but I'm sure the government still is and the people that used to run the orphanage might be too. Nothing good happens when I'm around, now maybe everything won't go to shit and maybe that'll all turn out okay but that doesn't mean this will end well."

"End well or not I still want you around, whatever happens I at least want to try before calling it quits."

Danny sighed, "You're not going to give up without a fight are you?"

"You should know by now that I won't."

Danny was quiet for a few seconds, "Fine, just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Consider me warned, but it still won't stop me."

Richard hugged Danny, he expected him to pull away but instead he hugged back, as complicated as this might get he was too happy to care.