Ghosts Don't Exist

Chapter 13: Stress and Time Never Were Good Friends

Danny was never so talkative until Vlad got there, he couldn't shut up either. For a child and a grown man they were close, good friends came in all shapes and sizes. In these terms, ages.

The constant metaphors and implications stringing between them was unique and a name only known by these was never left unheard. Bruce kept his mouth shut, this was honestly amusing. No one in this house had seen Danny so talkative or lively for that matter. Friendly faces were a good method to healing in his case. Bruce saw it more as to clean cobwebs from the mind.

Vlad was apparently never covered in dust, that was obvious in their greeting. It was assumed that Vlad and Danny were different from one another but acted as a father and son. Danny must have stayed with Vlad when his parents couldn't watch him.

"How about your friend, YB? His little animal friend?" Vlad said stirring his grilled cheese in tomato soup lazily. "He came by just last night. I've only seen him twice since I got here!" Danny stated excitedly. Bruce listen tentatively, a pregnant conversation with such information would not go unheard. "He has? He is quite loud, how had he not been heard?" Vlad asked glancing at Bruce. Bruce played bystander glancing up at him in a way catching his drift. "We were very quiet. When he first got here, he was scared I had died since no one could find me. Clockwork said he knew where I was but he wasn't allowed to interfere because of the eye creatures." Danny explained. "Isn't YB suppose to inform Clockwork on your status? When I went to the Ghost Zone, Clockwork was frantically looking for YB." Vlad stated. "That's what I was told, but he says that's boring. He just wants to play." Danny took a bite of soaked grilled cheese.

"When does he have time to play? I heard he's been busy helping Ember with ruling the music world?" Vlad stated. "He is helping Ember a lot but he comes to me to play. I asked him if Jazz was in the Ghost Zone but he said no. She went straight to Heaven. He played with me when she couldn't." Danny stated.

So he finally remembered his older sister? That is major progress.

"Why is he coming to you? Doesn't he have friends in the Ghost Zone?" Vlad asked raising an eyebrow. Danny shook his head and sighed pushing his plate away. He had lost his appetite. "Youngblood is very tired from being overworked. He came over last night crying and exhausted. He passed out in my bed. He's very sick, Vlad. Clockwork told him he's fine to watch me himself but the eye guys said no. They said this was a productive way to get things done. They said Clockwork was lazy." Danny explained. "YB is just a little kid. He's been dead for who knows how long but he's still a little kid. He has the mindset of one." Vlad stated quietly. Danny nodded and sighed. A small misty string of blue breath exited his mouth. He noticed a parrot on his shoulder. No one else seemed to notice it. Maybe Vlad would be but he wasn't looking.

"Youngblood wants to see you. Says it's an emergency." The parrot whispered.

Danny left the table as blue mist flew around him from his mouth. "What happened with him? Is he okay?" Danny whispered. "Yeah, but he wants to sleep at your place. I have to help Ember since he's burned out. He doesn't like sleeping alone." The parrot explained. Danny sighed and blue mist collected in clouds around him. Cold drifts wizzed through his hair.

Youngblood wasn't a worker, everyone in the Ghost Zone knew that. He was a child, a child with no guidance living the life of an old human. Danny wrapped his arms around him. He remembered how Youngblood's visit became less and less as the years went on. Danny had stopped calling him over for playing when he realized the tiredness and grim looks he held. The animal partner receded in playing since that became less important. Ember also seemed to be calling them over less after hearing what was happening with Clockwork.

According to Youngblood, Clockwork begged to have Youngblood released from being a spy. It wasn't right be any means. Youngblood was not meant to uphold the job he was currently forced into. Then again, Danny didn't need Youngblood to tell him that to know that.

He followed the bird to his room as the blue mist thickened and he had to wave it away. He refrained from opening his mouth, he had a string of of the stuff slipping through his lips.

"Just... just make sure he's okay, please? I've decided to let him stay for the night, and I've asked him not to cause trouble." The parrot spoke. He was whispering, his tone of loud, obnoxious, musing had faded. Danny nodded and waved the last bit of mist away. "I'll be back in the morning, see ya, Phantom." With that, the parrot left.

Danny rubbed his arms before transforming into his ghost form and fazing through the door. He was about to speak up but stopped himself. There, sitting on his overly sized bed, was a ghost that died as a child. A child that hadn't developed the mindset to organize his working habits. A child unfit to work with something he knew very little of. Less of, told almost nothing.

His normal clothes consisting of a pirate costume, were changed to a princess' clothing. A neon green dress with black assents. He wore a broken crown with neon green plastic beads and gems. His boots still stuck out, covered in stained dirt and clay.

"Youngblood, please tell me what has you upset this time? Did they threaten to take your friend away again?" Danny asked floating over to the bed and sitting in front of Youngblood. He consoled him and petted his head running his fingers through his unkept hair. Youngblood was crying, and trembling, he hiccuped and yawned between cries. "I can't keep doing this..." he muttered shaking his head as he buried his face into Danny's jumpsuit. His tears soaking it. His fingers dug into Danny's back clutching clumps of his jumpsuit.

"Everything will be okay, you can stay here for the night. I'm sure Bruce won't mind, besides, the more people the merrier, right?" Danny assured. Granted, that was false because Danny hated crowds. Youngblood sniffled and forced a smile to Danny who gasped and wiped his tears. "Now I know why you always wanted to play the damsel in distress."

Danny consoled his friend until he tired himself out. They eventually passed out on the bed. Danny had drool sliding down the side of his mouth and his unruly hair never looked so prefect. His rhythmic soft snores were soothing to his sleeping friend. He was back in his human form but his friend didn't seem to care. All he wanted was to sleep. Sleep was blissful and for the weak, of which he was one.

He might as well do something he'd grown grateful for. More so, with his best friend. He didn't have much time left anyway.