AN: Fufufu~ We're winding down to the big climax of the first arc. Two of a Kind will have two arcs, for the record. After this first one, I'll take a short intermission from the story to sort everything for Arc Two, which takes place a year into the future, together and make sure it all makes sense. Things are about to change in one or two more chapters folks, and things will get twisted. And what fun it shall be!

Two of a Kind

Chapter Twelve: The First Confrontation

Although Daniel Masters had lived a privileged life since being adopted by Vlad, he wasn't necessarily the luckiest person on the planet. In fact, with his luck, it was a miracle that some tabloid reporter hadn't discovered his ghost powers yet, really. But, as it was, just a few moments earlier, he had gotten a lovely spray of puddle water from a speeding car.

"Ugh." He groaned, looking over his white trench coat. It was soaked, and caked with a heavy coating of mud. "Damnit, you jackass." He said underneath his breath. "I got your licence plate number though, you bastard. Just you wait."

At least he had gotten breakfast with no problems, he thought. Afterwards, he had decided to venture about the town, trying to get the layout of the place. After all, he could be here awhile- his father hadn't yet told him how long they would be staying here, just giving him a vague 'until my work is done' kind of answer. He got those from him a lot, really, but they had stopped bothering him after awhile.

After all, he wasn't really that interested in what his father did. And even if he had been, he had other things on his mind at the moment.

Grumbling to himself, he paused for a second, making sure the coast was clear. Seeing no one, he took his trench coat and quickly turned it intangible, the water and mud sliding right off of it. "That's better." He said to himself, putting it back on. He was still wet, but the sun was out, so he figured he would dry off soon enough.

Checking once again to make sure that nobody had seen that, he smiled when he saw that there was nobody really around. Well, it was still early, he guessed, and it was the weekend. People were probably sleeping in. He wondered for a moment if Sam was awake, and considered giving her call. Reaching into his pocket, he paused, groaning as he realized he had forgotten to bring his cell phone.

"Oh damnit." Daniel frowned. "That's just my luck."

He would have to go back to the hotel to get it- Vlad would kill him if he knew that he had gone out without it. The man liked to keep tabs on his adopted son, probably worrying that some mysterious government group might sweep in at any moment and take him away, never to be seen again.

Grumbling to himself, Daniel turned around and headed back in the direction of his hotel. He paused, however, as he further checked his pockets for his room key, and swore a bit once he realized it was missing as well. Of course, it only took him a few seconds for him to remember that he had ghost powers, and he could just phase right through the door.

Despite the fact that he had lived with them all his life, he still had moments like those. Vlad had encouraged him to use them as little as possible, since you never knew who might be watching. And seeing as he didn't think being carted away by the government and having horrible experiments run on him was such a good idea, Daniel for the most part obliged.

After walking down the street for a few minutes, he paused, frowning as he looked behind him. He got the feeling that something was coming, that began as a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. Although his body was always cold, he felt himself grow just a bit colder, goosebumps starting to appear on his arms. His frown deepening, he wondered if there was a ghost about. He often felt this way around them.

But no, he thought, coming to a full halt. This was different. He had felt it before, too, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it...

Until it was starting him in the face, rather. Or him, to be more specific.

Startled, Daniel took a step back, his light blue eyes looking over the young man in front of him. This was the first time he had gotten a very good look at him, seeing as how their first meeting had gone. The white haired boy seemed to not be having quite the disturbing reaction to him as he had the first time they met each other.

"You." The white haired boy spoke, his blazing green eyes looking at him with undisguised hatred. Now that he had a better look at this person, this thief, he realized that they looked even more alike than he had first realized. In fact, the only thing that was different about them was their hair and eye colors. Everything else, right down to the smallest detail, was exactly the same as it was on him on the raven haired boy.

They could pass for twins.

"Oh." Daniel bit his lip, seeming to realize this himself as well. "Um, hi?" He offered him a sheepish greeting, trying to smile at him. It was difficult, really, he could almost see the anger that was seeping out of him. "I, um..." He started, then found that he didn't quite know what to say. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Don't play with me." Danny almost hissed, the color of his green eyes intensifying. "We have to talk, little thief."

Thief? Daniel thought, his eyebrows knitting together. He didn't recall having stolen anything from this boy. They hadn't even met before yesterday, had they? He didn't think they had, surely Daniel would have remembered meeting someone who looked exactly like him. "Um, I'm sorry, I'm not really sure what you're talking about." He said, holding his hands up in the air.

That seemed to be the wrong move, only making the white haired boy angrier. Daniel found himself kind of wishing there were more people around now, so that he wouldn't have to be alone with this strange boy. "Um, really, I don't know what it is that you're trying to say." He said again. "We haven't met before, have we? I'm sure I would have remembered you."

Danny's eyes narrowed as he listened to him, convinced that he was just playing the fool. Although he had told Jazz he would try and control it when the two met next, he could already feel his anger getting the better of him, filling up his void with rage. "I said, stop playing stupid." He told him, reaching over to grab him by the wrist, yanking him towards him.

"You're going to come with me, and you're going to be giving me some answers." He almost hissed, their eyes meeting.

Okay, wow. This guy had some serious anger management issues. And what exactly was with those eyes, anyways? He could swear that they were glowing- and he knew that wasn't something normal human eyes should be doing. The thought popped in his head that this strange boy might somehow be related to ghosts too, just as he was. This theory was supported by the fact that his parents were both ghost hunters.

For now, he thought, he should probably do what the green eyed boy told him to. After all, Daniel wanted some answers as well.

"Alright, okay." Daniel told him, trying to work his hand free from his grip. He didn't want to use any of his ghost powers, lest he make Danny anymore suspicious than he clearly already was. "I'll come with you, there's no need to try and drag me along. Can you please let go?" He asked.

Danny paused for a moment, considering it. After a few seconds of silence, he let go of the raven haired boy's wrist. "Thank you." Daniel said, using his other hand to rub at it. He had quite the grip- his strength was nothing to be sneezed at, clearly.

Danny said nothing to him, just motioned for the other boy to follow behind him. Daniel did, kind of wishing that he had really brought his cell phone right now. He got the feeling that going along with this guy was not something Vlad would have wanted him to do. Really, the more logical part of him was screaming at him to take this chance to run away.

But at the same time, Daniel knew that he couldn't. He had been looking for answers to so many questions for as long as he could remember, and maybe this strange boy, this Danny, could give them to him. Maybe he could even give Danny some of the answers he so clearly sought as well.

Daniel wasn't stupid, really. He knew there had to be some sort of connection between the two of them. There were too many coincidences piling up around them, the very least of which were their near identical appearances. Tucking his hands in his trench coat pockets, Daniel made sure to pay attention to where they were going as they walked.

They seemed to be going pretty far, and had been walking for quite awhile now. Danny didn't say anything to him, just glancing back every once in awhile as if to make sure that he was still there. Daniel couldn't help but feel rather awkward, he had never been good with these kinds of silences.

"How much farther?" He asked, looking around. They were in the warehouse district now, by the docks. His white haired companion glanced back at him once more, and only pointed at a small, out of the way warehouse. It looked like it had been closed down for some time now, but one of the windows was open, suggesting that people had been inside it since.

Sure enough, Danny lead him to the place, and let himself in through the window. Daniel paused for a moment, thinking that maybe he should leave now after all, but his desire to talk with his near twin overrode it. He followed behind him, into the dark warehouse. The only light in the empty building was those from the windows. Though smaller than the others, the place was big enough that there were still patches of darkness here and there.

"Um, so, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Daniel asked, looking around, feeling just a bit nervous. He had ghost powers, sure, but he had no idea what this guy was capable of. He was just a little bit intimidating when he wasn't bleeding from his eyeballs.

Danny finally turned around now, watching him carefully. The raven haired boy found himself on guard, feeling as if he might strike at any moment. "Your light." He said after awhile, and for the first time, Daniel noticed how very monotone his voice was. His anger seemed to have settled down a bit now, the long walk having helped cool it off. "You have my light."

"Light?" Daniel asked, blinking. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about." He said, pointing towards him. "You can see it too, can't you?"

"Oh, that stuff." Daniel nodded, realizing what he meant now. "Yeah, yeah, I can see it." He told him. "I just never knew that it had a name."

"It doesn't." Danny told him, eyes narrowing. "I know you looked inside of me- I could feel it." He told him. "And I looked into you, thief, and I know what I saw in there belonged to me."

"I'm sorry?" Daniel blinked, confused once more. "Look, really, I don't know what you're talking about when you say that. Could you possibly be a little more specific?" He asked. "Exactly how do you think I stole your... light, was it?" He asked, looking at him curiously. "See, I want answers just as much as you do, erm, Danny." He told him, finding using his own name to be a bit awkward.

"If you think I've done something to you, then I have to say you're mistaken. And if somehow you're right, and I did take your light, then I can guarantee that I didn't mean to. I didn't even know who you were before yesterday!" Daniel told him. "I know just about as much as you do about exactly what is going on here."

"Do you?" Danny asked, sounding skeptical. He had trouble believing that. "I'm not sure I trust you." He told him. He took a seat on one of the few boxes that had been left behind, crossing his legs in front of him. Still, even when he was relaxed, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that he was waiting to spring at any moment.

"Oh come on." Daniel's shoulders slumped. "How can I make you trust me?" He asked him. "I don't want you to look at me like I'm some kind of enemy, Danny." He told him. "If there's something going on here between the two of us, then I want to know the truth just as much as I'm sure you do."

Danny seemed to pause for a moment, taking his question into consideration. After awhile, he raised a hand, pointing almost accusingly at him. "Then, tell me everything you do know, thief." It seemed that he wasn't inclined to use the raven haired boy's actual name.

"Um." Daniel blinked. "Alright. Just, just hold on one second, okay?" He asked him, taking a look around. He eventually found a filled box of his own, and pulled it over, taking a seat on it. Ghost powers are not, his legs still got tired from standing for too long, and they were already weary from that long walk. Danny, on the other hand, didn't even seem the slightest bit winded.

"Okay, all I know is that I don't know who my parents are." Daniel began, placing a hand on his chest as if to emphasize. "I don't even know where I came from, much less why my parents abandoned me." He didn't take his eyes off the white haired boy even for a moment, still not sure he could trust him not to suddenly attack. "My first memories were of being in the Ghost Zone. I was probably around four years old." He told him. "I don't know how I got there, but that is were Vlad found me."

"He took me in after that and raised me." He seemed to pause for a moment, debating whether or not he should confess the next part to this strange boy. After all, his parents were ghost hunters. Eventually, though, he decided that leaving even one part of the story out might prevent them finding the answers they both sought. "From an early age, I knew I was different than other people. I had..." he paused, trailing off, trying to find the best way to put it.

"Ghost powers?" Danny asked, finished his sentence for him. The raven haired boy looked up, seeming surprised.

"You have them too?" He asked. Okay, there was another coincidence.

"I just got mine." Danny told him, and as if to prove it, he turned one of his arms invisible. "They didn't start until you showed up at my house." There was that suspicion again, but Daniel couldn't help but think there was something weird about it. It didn't feel quite right, not all there- not as his earlier anger had.

"Oh." Daniel said, sounding almost a bit disappointed. So there was something going wrong with him that was his fault after all. He felt kind of guilty about it now, even though he hadn't intentionally done anything to him. "I'm sorry." He apologized. "I didn't mean to trigger anything."

"Right." Danny said, his voice back to the monotone. "Did you have anything else you wanted to add?" He asked.

"No, that's really all I know." Daniel told him. "I mean, there's the obvious, but I don't think I have to point that out to you." He bit his lip, wondering if he should ask. "Um, well, how about you?"

"Me?" Danny asked, then heaved a sigh. "Fine. Fair is fair." He told him. "When I was four, I was in an accident with one of my parent's inventions. It was supposed to be some sort of portal to the Ghost Zone." He said, looking at him in the eyes as he said that. "I used to look like you, you know." He said, motioning towards his hair and eyes. "But after the accident, this is what I came to be." He motioned towards himself.

Ah, so that was it then. Daniel hadn't been sure if his white hair was his natural color up until this point. "Oh." He nodded. "Um, yeah." He chewed on his lip, trying to think of what to say. "Well, I guess I can kind of see why you're so suspicious of me now, Danny." He admitted. "Those are some weird coincidences."

"I wasn't finished yet." Danny held up his hand, stopping him. "You really ought to consider yourself lucky, thief. Ghost powers from a young age?" He shook his head. "That sounds awfully nice compared to what I've had to go through." An odd smile formed on his face, one that Daniel couldn't help but think looked awfully think. "Or at least, I'm sure that's what I would say if I knew how I was supposed to be feeling through all of that shit."

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, sounding confused.

"I can't feel anything." Danny told him, rather bluntly. "Yeah, sure, you had to deal with abandonment issues and being a freak with ghost powers." He waved a hand, as if dismissing it all. "I've had to deal with not feeling anything except for anger for the past fifteen years of my life." He shook his head. "I know it's tearing my family apart, and I can't even muster up the slightest bit of honest sympathy for them."

He would have to apologize to Jazz when he got home. Now that he had time to think about it, he shouldn't have been so mean to her. Really, he knew they were only trying to help him. They had gone out of their way to take care of him, all of them. He was aware that they loved him, he just couldn't return the feeling.

Although sometimes, he knew that his parents looked at him, and thought of him like a ghost. At least, he knew his mother did.

She had seen his rage unleashed with her own eyes, after all.

"Oh." Daniel looked down at his feet, feeling kind of awkward. He didn't really understand what Danny was saying, really, but he got the feeling that it must have been pretty bad. Not something he would have wanted to go through. "I'm sorry for that."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are." The white haired boy stood up then, looking down at him. "Now then, why don't you tell me why you have my light?" He asked again, his eyes narrowing. "I'm going to get it back from you, you know." He told him. "Then we'll see how you like being like this."

"That again!?" Daniel looked up, his light blue eyes wide. He thought they were getting someplace, too! "I told you already, I really don't know what you're talking about, Danny." The raven haired boy stood up. "I mean, really." He insisted. "If there was some way I could help you, I would be more than willing to."

"Oh, that's good then." Danny seemed to smile at him. "Jazz won't be as mad at me, seeing as you've offered now." And with those words barely out of his lips, the white haired boy's arm turned intangible once more, and slipped into Daniel's chest. Daniel's eyes went wide as he found the boy's arm sliding into him, and felt his eyes peering into him. They did not seem to bleed this time, and he was not in pain, but the very moment he laid his hands on the very thing he so desired...

Pain.

There was so much pain.

Danny tore his arm from out of inside Daniel, smoking as if it had caught on fire. The flesh on his hand appeared to be twisted and burned, and he let out a howl of pain. Daniel too, felt his own pain, clutching at his chest where Danny's hand had been just a moment before. It had felt like he had touched something inside of him, something important, and had tried to rip it out.

"Damnit!" Danny swore underneath his breath, his anger rising within him. What the hell was that? All he had done was try and reclaim what belonged to him- why had it rejected him? "You bastard!" He hissed at Daniel, almost seeming unaware that the raven haired boy might have been suffering even more pain than he was.

"What the hell did you just try and do!?" Daniel spat out, light blue eyes meeting his piercing green ones. Agh, but the pain didn't seem like it was going to go away! What was this? He had never felt anything like this before- at least, he didn't think so. There was a strange sense of deja-vu around it though, as if something similar to this pain, but not quite had happened sometime in his forgotten past.

"Shut up." Danny's eyes were blazing an intense green now. Though they were indoors, wind seemed to be kicking up around them, a few empty boxes starting to be pushed around by it. He was getting so pissed off now, angry that he was so close to what must have been the answer to fixing himself and yet he wasn't even able to get close to it.

He knew he was right. He knew that this Daniel Masters person must have been a thief. He had a feeling that he once had been a part of him, once, before the accident all those years ago. He didn't know why, he didn't know how, all he knew was that it had to be true. And when he had separated from him, he took away the most important part of him, leaving behind something that was only the shell of a human. A walking corpse, if you would.

There was no other explanation.

He didn't care as to why or how any of this had happened. The only thing he wanted was to fix himself. It had been his only desire, the thing that had sustained him through fifteen years of being basically an empty shell of a person, filled with nothing more than rage and hatred. Oh yes, part of the desire was because of his family, but part of it was because some part of him wanted to go back to normal. Some part of him just barely recalled what it was like to be normal, and it was that part of him that had been acting up a lot lately.

From even before Daniel had shown up.

He wasn't sure when he had noticed the increased desire to become normal again, just that it was there when he finally noticed it. He had to go back, for the sake of not only himself, but also his family.

And then there was Sam.

He'd no idea why the raven haired girl had popped into his head at the moment. She was nosy, and pushy, and he didn't think he really liked her that much. He saw no logical reason for why he would really want to be around her, save for her interesting light. So why had she come to mind?

In his state, Danny would probably never be able to realize that it was because he was in love. He'd never had a chance to feel such a thing, at least not for anyone outside of his family.

It was the one thing he didn't know how to replicate.

Daniel backed away from him, still clutching at his chest. This was bad, he had to get away from here now. The talking was over, that he knew. He had really hoped that they might be able to work things out, but it seemed that the his near twin didn't see things his way. Gathering up his strength, he turned invisible and backed away. He didn't wait long to take to the skies, making sure to remain invisible as he flew away from that place as fast as he could.

He kept going until the pain in his chest finally caught up with him, and he found himself falling out of the air. He braced himself for the impact, coming to crash land in an alleyway, where he finally turned visible again. Thankfully, nobody was there to see it, because now he couldn't have possibly gotten away.

He passed out there, fading into black.

After Daniel had vanished, Danny had spent a long time in that warehouse, trying to cool down his rage, which now had nowhere to go. Although they had met in the early morning, night was falling now as he headed down the streets of Amity Park. Although he had gotten it under control, he could still feel it there, lingering within him.

The next time he saw that boy, he would take back what was his. That was what Danny knew. He didn't care what happened to Daniel after he did- it would be his punishment, what he deserved.

The next time they saw each other, Danny would get back his light.

Even if he had to rip him to shreds to do it.

AN: Next chapter is shaping up to bring an end to Arc One, it seems, so stay tuned as everything goes to hell!