Author's Note (not necessary for reading; you can skip this)--This was inspired by my failing of a math quiz today. Yes, there goes my beautiful straight-A average for the next report card considering grades close TOMORROW! Anyway, sorry for making you cringe with this Author's Note (either because you don't care about my personal life—totally understandable, or because I'm sort of obsessed with getting straight-A's and that freaks you out—again, understandable).

Failure

Why? Why? Why? Why? WHY?!? Danny thought as he groaned and banged his head on his desk. He reopened his now-closed eyes just to make sure he had seen correctly. Yep. There was still a giant, ugly, red "F" on the top of his latest math test. He knew he wasn't good at math, but this was his third failure in a row. Why couldn't he EVER pass?

Then he remembered, Oh, yeah. I have to fight ghosts all night when I SHOULD be studying for these things. He sighed. No one else carried the burden of protecting this town. Then again, he had sort of thrust that job upon himself. Why was he cursed with a hero complex?

As the bell rang, Danny gathered up his things, feeling sick when he touched his vile paper. At this rate, he wasn't going to even be qualified to work at a fast food restaurant in Cape Canaveral…let alone work at his dream job at NASA. Sometimes life sucks, he thought.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"You see," said Observant number one, "this task should not be left up to this child. He is a dunce!"

He was pointing to a screen that had been opened in the Observants' headquarters where a scrawny, raven haired child stood moping in front of his locker.

"Oh, please. He just failed one test. Everyone is entitled to a few mistakes," said Observant Two.

"No, no, no. This is his THIRD failure in a row, my good sir. I don't think he's getting a B in any of his classes, let alone an A."

"Well, that's still no big deal. There are lots of children like that. It's usually not their fault. They're just stressed or…or unable to learn as quickly as other students. That's no reason to condemn them!"

"True. But how many of those children have ghost powers?" pointed out Observant One.

The room was silent.

"That's what I thought. He can't handle the stress of his human life and ghost-hero life at the same time. At this rate, someone could get hurt because of his inability to concentrate. So, you see, it will actually be a…favor, if you will," he said.

The other Observants looked at each other hesitantly, then all silently agreed, nodding their heads.

"Good. I'll go inform our cohorts," Observant One said, pleased that he had finally made a good enough appeal for his cause.

DPDPDPDPDPDPDP

"Cheer up, Danny," Tucker said. "Dwelling on it's not going to change anything."

"I know," Danny said, "But it makes me feel better knowing I'm actually upset about this. At least I know I actually CARE that I'm failing in life!"

Tucker and Sam looked at each other across the lunch table. When Danny was depressed, he didn't make a lot of sense. If he was feeling down, he was feeling DOWN and there was no arguing with him about it.

"Whatever you say, dude," Tucker said, defeated.

But Sam wasn't ready to give up. She hated seeing Danny in this mood. It made her depressed as well. "Hey. What do you say we all go see a movie tonight or something? My treat."

"I don't deserve to go see a movie," Danny mumbled, twisting his fork back and forth in his mashed potatoes and holding his head up with his other hand.

Sam sighed. "I swear, Danny. Sometimes you are such a pain in the—"

She was cut off by a giant crash that came from the roof of the cafeteria. The trio looked up to see Skulker floating above the students in the lunch room.

Then the chaos ensued. People started screaming and running away, as they always did during these kinds of attacks. Danny sighed. He really didn't feel like fighting ghosts right now. Especially considering that was what had gotten him into this academic rut in the first place.

"Guys…?" Danny said, eyeing his friends.

"We've got you covered. Go," Tucker told him, as he and Sam slid over to hide him as he slid under the table to go ghost.

The next thing they knew, he was intangible and flying up toward Skulker.

"What do you want now, Skulker? I'm really not in the mood," Danny said, exasperated.

"I know. That's why I'm here," Skulker answered simply.

"Huh?" Danny asked, but before he could get an answer, one of Skulker's nets flew out and trapped him.

"I was sent by the Observants," Skulker said, reeling Danny in and putting him in a giant claw-like device from which he would certainly not be able to escape. "They don't think you're cut out for this 'ghost-hunting' job (unlike me) and are prepared to grant you a full pardon from it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Danny asked warily.

"It means," Skulker said, "that they're going to put you on trial. If you're found innocent, they'll let you come back here and fight ghosts."

"And if I'm found guilty?" Danny asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"They'll get rid of your ghost half for you. You won't be 'burdened' with these powers anymore. And no one will be able to protect your little town from a ghostly rampage," he said with a sickening smile.

He began to fly away and Danny looked back down at Sam and Tucker, who were the only ones, standing dumbfounded, in the cafeteria.

Oh, yeah, Danny thought, Sometimes life REALLY sucks.

Oh, yes. This is the perfect ending for this chapter. I like posting in chapters and apparently you guys like it, too! This is a new story, so you can start now and review it! PLEASE!! Whether you like it, don't like it, are amazed by my obsessive need to get everything right or ((GASP)) found a mistake, please tell me! Actually, I would like you to tell me if you spotted a mistake because I like to edit my writing to make it better. On with the show…review, please!