Part 1
Enough Is Enough
I had been trying harder. I really had but things keep getting in the way. Thing if I where to be honest. Ghosts. Before lunch things had been going well. I had been paying attention, buckling down and staying ship shape. I had even read the chapters last night, and gone above and beyond and read TWO more.
I should start earlier and try not to leave anything out, but I only thing like this when I am having problems. It helps me sort it out in my head if I talk to myself.
The start that's what I'm trying to think about. I'm a ghost, or not. Half-ghost is what me and my friends call it but we don't really know. My friends are Sam and Tucker. There both cool. Tucker and I go way back. When we first moved hear I didn't know anyone but Tucker and me hit it strait off. We like the same video game, films and books. Violent, horror and none. Well that's not true any more. I've started to enjoy reading when I get the chance, I just don't often seem to get the chance.
If I wasn't just thinking this I would sigh. I go off on tangents when I'm trying to sort things out. Sam is complicated. In more ways than one. She has the whole Goth thing going on and is very out spoken but also can be shy. NEVER call her emo. I saw Tucker do that once and I've been careful to avoid it since. She seems gloomy a lot of the time but with me and Tucker seems ready with a smile. She looks nice when she smiles. People say we should be going out but what do they know? She always says were not dating. We're not so I can understand why she says it. I say it to. We did kiss once. Twice but I'm not sure about the second one, Desiree was involved with some kind of wish, so it's a bit hazy. They where fake-out make-outs anyway so don't really count.
I find myself staring at her. Not sure when that happened. I was looking out the window and then, it doesn't matter anyway. I pull my vision back to my pad of paper and start dodling so it looks like I'm making notes. That's one thing I've found myself really getting good at. Making it look like I'm working. Mr Lancer once keep me after class and tried to look at my notes. He said I would make a good civil servant with a skill like that. I'm not sure but I got the felling he was disappointed. Maybe he thought I was trying harder and wanted to help but realised I wasn't really trying. That hurt more than I thought it would. After all the help with the CAT test I think he was starting to change his opinion of me, guess I managed to ruin that.
I still haven't started to think about what I wanted to think about. I think I might be trying to avoid it. Hear goes. It was lunch and we where sitting at are normal table. My ghost sense went off just as I was about to put the first bite of my sandwich in my mouth, seeming to almost freeze it so I couldn't even have one bite before I found out what the problem is. The problem was a ghost of course. But it could be a small problem like the box ghost or a giant frog or a big problem like Vlad. Why are there even giant frog ghosts? I mean unless there are giant frogs that die with unfinished business? I don't know.
Sometimes I realise how little I know about this. I have ghost powers but I don't know what I am. I think of myself as half ghost but maybe I'm half alive and I never stepped out of the ghost portal truly alive. I feel alive, but as a ghost I feel much the same so maybe there's not much difference between ghost and human. Some things have changed. I like my powers. The feeling as power flows though me is hard to describe. It's a surge of emotion. That's why sometimes I have trouble not using my power's to get back at people who bully me. They deserve it and I have the power. Why shouldn't I use It. It's the right thing to do and the power almost calls to me when it's happening. It would be so easy to just push him about a little. Make him do things he could never live down. Put him in his place. I'm better than him and I have the power so why shouldn't I use it as I want.
I start to breath slowly calming myself down. Sometimes this happens. It's hard to not use my powers but I know Sam would hate me if I ever acted on it. Maybe she would hate me if she new I thought like this, so I keep it to myself. They don't understand. They think I can just not use them if I don't need them. I'm looking at her again. Every time I think of her I look at her. Last Time Lancer caught me he said to keep my love life out of the class room. Sam was quick to remind him we're not a couple. So did I.
Anyway after I put me sandwich down and changed I flew above the school to see what was happening. It was skulker. He told me he had no business with me "the ghost child" today. I could see he was hunting some kind ghost fox. I could also see a path of destruction leading hear from Fenton works. No doubt caused by him. I could of left him to it but Skulker wouldn't care about bystanders in his chase and a quick work out at lunch wouldn't hurt. I think I'm getting better. I remember when I first met skulker and I only beat him with the help of a gorilla. Nowadays if he doesn't get the drop on me I can win if I fight smart. I almost had it in the bag, or in the Thermos I guess. Then Valerie turned up and she totally got the drop on me. So I got skulker in the flask, could get some witty banter in with Valerie and still had time to eat my sandwich if it had thawed .
"Hey, what's that? Four to me and one to you this week?"
"Hey ghost, why don't you stay away. I can handle this without you!"
With that she shot. I was tired after caching skulker and I really didn't expect such an aggressive response. I know she hates ghosts but she seemed to have gotten use to me over the last few months as we keep meeting each other while fighting ghosts. She had started to lean off me a bit, didn't seem to really be trying to kill me when we had finished off whatever ghost was about. Just a few shots to keep up appearances. I guess I was wrong and nothing had changed.
I hit the ground hard and had trouble keeping my Phantom form. I could hear her jets getting near and new I had to move. When I looked up I saw I had landed in the out door section set aside for the end of year ball. Her flying surf bored hit me in the head as she took a low pass at me causing me to lose focus and see spots. I new I had to do something.
"All you ghosts are the same, coming hear and wrecking the place. You can't help but do that can you?"
It was a question but I don't think she wanted an answer. I don't think I had an answer. I didn't want to but I was so angry. After helping her so much. Always holding back when I fought her. It was her who drooped me hear when she shot me. I could feel the energy building up in me as I got angrier. Too much energy. I knew I would have to let it out. A large part of me wanted to let it out at Valerie For attacking me so many times. I tried to be her friend. To make everything ok but SHE kept attacking ME!
I had to stop and start breathing again. I looked at what I was drawing. It was the Amity Park from the future where I had destroyed it. Part of me new I was drawing it. I tore it out and put it in my pocket so I could bin it later. If Jazz found it she would want to talk about it.
Valerie was my friend and It took all my effort to not to attack her. I started screaming at the sky. After, I realised I had use my ghostly wail. I had done it with enough force to send her into what I think was meant to be the DJ's both. I could feel me losing my phantom form again so I found a quite toilet to change back in. I tried to make it back to the cafeteria before the end of lunch so I could eat and talk with my friends but too many people where heading out to see the damage done to the end of year ball area. All I could hear was people saying it was Phantom who had wrecked it. I had no anger left in me. I was so tired. After everything people would still rather blame me than trust me.
As the bell rang I headed back to class and as I got there I saw Sam, Tucker and Valerie talking and laughing. I stopped when I saw this. I felt like an outsider then. What she had said to me in the fight had hit home. I did want to use my power. It felt good. I held back so I didn't have to talk to them. I think they tried to as I came in but I avoided looking at them. So I sit hear looking out the window, at Sam and doodling. Alone in a room full of people I've know for years.
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Today had started well for her. No ghosts attacks last night. Her friends in good modes. Parents not trying to change her rebellious fashion or diet decisions. What could go wrong. Much like fate had felt tempted to step in to show her what it could do, it had gone wrong.
Her is Samantha "Sam" Manson. She's a Goth. She has the whole black cloths, black room and music. She was normally called the freaky Goth kid but she didn't mind. She like to be different like only a teenager could.
It was Danny who was spoiling her mode but maybe it's not fair to blame him. Today had started well. He seemed in high spirits but something had happened at lunch. He only just seemed to make it back when class was just starting. She had tried to say high to him but he hadn't responded. Just sat down and started staring out the window. That boy was so easy to read. Not long after he started to doodle. She was cartful not to stare at him too much. Last time she had Mr Lancer has called them love birds and she didn't like everyone sniggering at them. It's no of there business who she is or isn't dating.
After the bell rang as they where leaving he said he needed to hurry home. She knew he needed time to think. He didn't want to talk about it so she didn't push him. Maybe she would ask him about it tomorrow or she could phone him tonight.
As he walked away he dropped some paper and she was going to call him back but he was walking off quickly. Anyway. It would give her a reason to stop by later to see how he is. She unfolded it and saw what he had been doodling. It was Amity Park in desolation. The boy had talent but the picture was a bit, she found herself lacking a better word than odd. She could deal with morbid as a Goth. In fact she was obliged to be a fan of it, but it seemed a strange thing to draw for him.
Maybe the ghost had got to him more than she thought. Then she herd two students pass talking about how Phantom had trashed the end of year ball and it started to make a bit more sense. He didn't like to talk about it, but it hurt him people didn't trust him after everything that he's done for them.
She would talk to him later.
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When Danny got home he went strait up to his room tossing his bag into the corner. He spent most of the evening drawing. That was something he had started to enjoy doing. He used to just doodle but now he had taken to drawing when he could. It helped him relax. He could get lost in it for hours. It wasn't until his phone rang and he saw it was dark outside that he realised so much time had past. It was Sam's ring tone.
"Hi Sam, what's up?"
"Hi Danny, you seemed down at school today so I thought I'd give you a call."
He wasn't quite sure how to respond and hesitated slightly before deciding on. "I'm fine, it was nothing."
"Sure Danny. Sure."
Not wanting to talk about today's events but not wanting the conversation to end he changed the subject. They talked for about an hour before they made plans to go to the mall tomorrow and to see if Tucker wanted too go too.
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The three friends got to the mall near twelve, early for Teenagers on a weekend. Their moods where high. Tucker had dragged them round most of his favourite shops. He had been saving up to get some new bits for his computer. Sam went into the only book shop she liked in the mall but only ended up getting got some drawing pencils and a sketch book with a ghost on the cover. The ghost was the stereotypical "spooky" sheet kind but she thought it was cute and someone she knew might like it. Danny was just happy to spending the day with his friends.
Just as they sat in the food court an icy breath escaped Danny's lips once again leaving him with frozen food. With an inaudible sigh he dropped his fork into his baked potato and stood up. Looking round for somewhere to change, there was a large explosion above them. The ceiling collapsed over the three friends. As the plaster and dust where raining down there was a flash of white light barley shining thought it. As the dust settled Danny Phantom stood there. Letting go of his friends and changed himself and his two friends back to their tangible forms.
Looking up Danny could see Skulker flying above him with his wrist mounted gun pointing at him.
"Today. Today I am hear for you ghost child." Skulker declared, his deep voice resonating in his amour.
Unleashing a barrage of shots Danny put up shields to protect his friends leaving himself vulnerable as he tried to doge he took a glancing blow from the attack.
"Skulker, I just put you back in the ghost zone yesterday. What do you thinks gonna happen today?"
Skulker unleashed a barrage of missiles from his shoulders weapon slots. With a few ecto beam shots he managed to shot most of them out of the sky before they got near him but the beams ended up hitting several shops behind Skulker ripping apart the shop fronts. Dodging the renaming missiles letting them blow out the windows of a few more shops behind him.
"Why do you resist you powers ghost child. I know you're holding back."
"I don't want to use my powers to hurt people."
"Really?" Skulker gave a short laugh at this.
Something in him had had enough. After yesterday and all the problem's he had that where caused by ghosts, by being a ghost. All the trouble from the people he helps to protect. The times he let dash walk all over him. Vlad messing with his head and his mum. Being hunted by his friend and parents.
No more.
Danny shot the most powerful beam he could in shear frustration. Hitting Skulker and carrying on to the shops behind him cutting thought them and out of the mall. In the smoking wreckage all that was left of Skulker was the little green blob of his true form.
With little thought, or heed to Skulkers cry of outrage, Danny pulled out a Thermos and sucked him in. Looking round he changed back to Fenton before anyone was brave enough to re-enter the mall. Tucker and Sam peeked round the corner after hearing the sound of the Thermos just in time to see the rings finish there journey. They both stood there for a second as he looked down at the Thermos. He looked so tired. Not physically, though that was there too, but emotionally. It took them ten seconds before they stopped starring and walked over too him.
"Good work man, another one down." Tucker was the first to chimed in trying to make the situation more upbeat.
Another 10 seconds of awkward silence passed with Danny just looking at him.
Sam followed up with. "Yer, You totally kicked ass out there!" She tried to say it with enthusiasm but just couldn't quite find it with Danny staring at her.
"Look guys. I'm just gonna head home and dump this guy back in the ghost zone and get some rest." At that the young ghost boy turned and walked away from his friends.
Sam was gonna call him back but Tucker put his hand on her shoulder and shock his head.
"Give him some time." He said, at that they shared a small, sad smile.
As Danny was leaving people where making there way back in. They still looked nervous. Normal ghost Attacks where pretty common, but the sheer amount of destruction was higher than normal and was reminding people how powerful ghosts could be.
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Walking home Danny could start to see his breath in the air as the colder winter mouths approached. Glad it was just the weather and not another ghost attack he managed a small smile. He always looked forward to the change in weather. He didn't like summer or winter more than the other but liked it when the world started to change around him. He still didn't relish the idea of Christmas but had warmed to it after his encounter with the ghost writer.
After Danny made it home he headed to the basement as his parents fixed diner. The ever present glow of the Fenton Ghost Portal giving the room a green glow he was now used he dumped Skulker back into the ghost zone. The ghost portals almost monolithic presence in the basement managed to wipe away any good mood he had managed to get on his way home. A physical representation of all his problems.
Making his way up to his room seemed to be the most difficult part of the day. Every step up to his room was harder than the last. Finally making it into his room he dropped himself into his chair. He tried to spend the rest of evening relaxing by putting pencil to paper.
An hour passed in what felt like seconds to Danny when he got called to dinner. Not wanting to go but with no way to excuse himself and also being quite hungry he headed downstairs. After a Fentom family dinner where Danny was paying little attention to his family around him but a lot in spinning his spaghetti at the end of his fork.
Left to do the washing up he was giving a less than brilliant job. After only getting about three plates done and two forks his father bellowed from the living room that there bit about Inviso-bill was about to be on the news. With no small amount of dread Danny went in.
"What's this about Phantom on the news?" He managed to keep his voice mostly level but had a small quiver in it.
"Oh Danny don't be silly, we told you about it at dinner. Don't you remember or where you not listening" Chastised his mother.
Saving Danny from responding to that his father shushed them turning the volume up.
"Today at Amity Park mall a major ghost incident leaving almost half the shops destroyed and the rest without power costing thousands of dollars in repairs." a news reporter spieled off. "This is the second ghost attack in two days to leave major damages to Amity Park. Local ghost experts had this to say"
The camera cut to Jack and Maddie Fenton standing in the ruined shopping mall standing in front of the armoured ghost assault vehicle. Maddie was in front of jack with the larger man towering over her
"As you can see from the damage Phantom is a dangerous" Maddie said first.
That was quickly followed by jack. "Sometimes he's been called a hero but this damage proves that we need to catch him more than ever. He's putting people's lives and livelihoods at risk and we're just the people to put a stop to him!"
Hoisting a large looking cannon Danny hadn't seen before Maddie added "With the new Fenton ghost shredder Phantom doesn't stand a chance!"
Cutting, again, to Valerie in her Red Huntress ghost hunting gear. "Phantom is a menace like every ghost and I'm gonna put him down personally." Danny could hear the grim determination in her voice.
Without saying a word or waiting till the end of the report Danny made a snap decision. With a look of determination on his face matching the one in Valerie's voice he walked to his room and change to Phantom and flew.
Danny's exit may have been missed by his parents but not by his sister, Jazz. She was worried about him. She always worried about him but now more so than normal. He seemed more distant and stressed than normal. What he dose would stress anyone but he always managed to stay a somewhat shy but happy teen. She pushed her worries aside with a thought of I always worry about him and he always fine. I'll go check on him later.
Jazz was brought of of her musing by the T.V the studio seemed to be in disarray and the reporter form a few moments ago fled of camera as Danny Phantom to enter into shot. Oh god, what's he doing now? She thought to herself.
Danny leaned close to the camera, so little other than his face was in shot, his glowing green eyes with an intense glow staring into the camera.
His voice almost entirely hard and flat, with a hint of pain only the most observant, or people close to him, would spot.
"I can see now that I'm not wanted. For two years I have protected this town from ghosts. I have been shot. I have been captured. I have been electrocuted. I have been beaten and broken. I have done all of this to keep this town and the people in it safe"
Just the shortest of pauses where he gathered his resolve. So short it could be mistaken for a dramatic pause.
"Well, now I see. I'm not wanted. I'm hated for what I've done. So that's it. No more. I'm done."
Just before he turned and vanished to find somewhere to be alone he said one last thing.
"I quit."
