I am a bad author. Bad bad bad. I leave ya'll for so long and you're all so freaking sweet. Thank you to everyone who messaged me about this story and kept me from feeling too hopeless about it. This year has been pretty damn awful but you guys have been amazing.

We're almost coming to a close! After this story is done, I can finally try to finish up with 'You Did This' and who knows, we might even get a brand new story! We still have a long way to go though, so not quite yet.

ALSO! I HAVE SO. MANY. REQUESTS. FOR. EMOTOCLONES. AND. I. WANT. TO. DO. THEM. ALL. So if your idea doesn't get touched on in this story, not to worry because I am planning on setting up a collection of oneshots for exploring the emotoclones and maybe even class reactions.

Disclaimer: As always, I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters in the story.

The whole mindscape shuddered as Hope turned to ash under the beam. There was a rush of energy as a herd of responsibility clones started beating down the monster, but it was just too late. Romance, Curiosity and Reflection felt the urge to curl up in a ball and cry, but they pushed past it. They herded the class to a rock formation and watched the Responsibility clones take care of the problem. It eventually vanished into the dark, seeing it was overwhelmed.

The victory was…

Hollow.

Even so, when the lead clone beckoned them over, Romance touched Sam's hand briefly before floating over.

"This is in no way over, it's time to return them to where they belong. Enough messing around. We are sending out a full evac order. You will encounter no other clone on your way to the core. Do not stop nor divert from the path."

Romance could only nod, unable to summon a more enthusiastic response.

It was like the joy had been sucked out of everything. The whole mindscape seemed a little less colourful and the brightness that the sky had held had faded. He drifted back over to the group and jerked his head in the direction of the path.

"C'mon guys. Let's go."

His voice was steady but flat. Even Curiosity was stubbornly silent, knowing that his incessant questions would not help in this situation. He had them, sure. What happens now? Where do we go from here? Is there anything that can be done? How will this affect Danny?

They needed to be asked, and he'd get to that soon, but for the mean time, he would let the others grieve.

Romance led the class in silence. The meagre chatter that the group had immitted until now was gone and a sullen mood had settled over the crowd. Only once was the request to stop for a rest brought up and it was quickly dispelled due to the fact that when Romance sat down he slumped like a ragdoll and seemed to have trouble working up the will to stand again once the twenty minutes were up.

They walked for hours and eventually ended up at a sleek, steel looking building. Everyone was herded inside quickly, and the door was slammed behind them. Dash looked around and spotted the same emotoclone from earlier, the one from the theatre, loitering in a corner.

He started stalking towards him, heading over to where the clone was watching from the sidelines. Out of the sight of the others, Dash opened his mouth.

"You're back."

"I am not 'back' anywhere, you have moved. I am nowhere you have seen me before."

"You know what I mean. What's going to happen now?"

"You're going home. We will… manage."

Dash cocked his head.

"Manage what? The fact that all of your hope and happiness has been turned to dust?"

"I have answered your question. My turn. What will you do once you get home? You will not forget this. When you emerge, things will not be the same."

"I… I don't know that either."

"You do not know much, do you? But, then again, you are a teenager, and that is not unusual."

"Anyway, how are you going to deal with… this?"

"We will consult Jazz. We will ask for therapy for the incoming depression before it gets too bad. We will… cope. It is not as simple as destroying the demons in your head. Sometimes you must go through the motions of recovery before recovery begins. There is no immediate solution, but Hope will restore himself, in time. Until then, Persistence and Friendship and Purpose will work to cover his loss. It will be hard."

Dash didn't doubt it.

"Can I help?"

It was an impulse, but he felt… bad? Angry? Guilty?

Something.

"Will you? You never have before."

"I guess this experience has given me a new perspective."

Truth chuckled.

"Now that is an excellent answer. Go now. You will leave soon, but remember what you have learned here. You may well realize soon what is in front of your nose now."

Dash blinked.

"What do-"

Truth was gone again. He was beginning to realize that he did that a great deal.