Danny Phantom: Old Friends New Enemies
Characters:
Danny Phantom sat on a rock in the Ghost Zone, disconsolately plucking a bizarre looking musical instrument. He was slightly more athletic looking, and the song he was plucking out was sad and heart wrenching.
A glowing net surrounds him suddenly, Danny made no move to struggle or fight back.
Skulker: I have you now!
Danny barely spares Skulker a glance, he doesn't seem to care that he's been captured.
Skulker: Aren't you going to even struggle?
Danny: What's the point? (sigh)
Skulker: To defend yourself! To make the hunt interesting!
Danny shifts a little inside the net but then settles back, he stares out at the Ghost Zone moodily.
Skulker: This hunt is no longer entertaining, perhaps another day Ghost Boy!
Exit Skulker
After a few moments the net fades, and Danny goes back to playing his song.
Elsewhere in the Ghost Zone. Skulker is ranting to anyone who will listen. Ghosts Present, Ember and Technus.
Skulker: It's not fair! I find him after all this time and he won't fight back!
Ember: What are you talking about flame head?
Skulker:: The Ghost Boy, I captured him, and he just sits there playing that stupid song!
Technus: If the Ghost Boy is here, then there's no one to stop me in the human world! Tata! Or as the kids say GBFN
Ember: Idiot.
Enter Spectra.
Spectra: Oh, what is that?
Ember: What is what?
Spectra: Can't you feel the utter misery, it's... invigorating.
Skulker: It is my misery, the Ghost Child refuses to fight back!
Spectra: Must you always get so excited? Wait, not fighting back?
Skulker: He just sits there plucking that musical instrument! I can't fight someone who won't fight back!
Spectra: And where is our miserable little foe?
Skulker: Just head in the direction of the music, you can't miss him.
Skulker flies away in a huff
Ember and Spectra follow the faint sounds of music they can hear. The music is soft and sad. It didn't take them long to find Danny.
Ember: Not bad dipstick, but let me lay a few power chords on you.
Ember's attack threw Danny back, he made no effort to resist or retaliate, nor did he struggle when Spectra caught him in her grip.
Spectra: Oh, this is perfect... he's so miserable...(sighs contentedly)
Ember: So what's your dish Ghost Boy?
Danny shakes himself slightly to clear his head of Spectra's draining effects.
Danny: Do you really want to know?
Spectra: Just a minute, and you can tell us all about it. (whistles) Bertrand!
Bertrand puts in an appearance
Spectra: Now begin, and don't leave out a single miserable detail.
Danny: Sure, why not. It all started the day before my fifteenth birthday...
Flashback: Danny Fenton is sitting at the table with the Fenton Family. Dinner was unspectacular, and the conversation predictably centered around ghosts. Jack Fenton is babbling on and on about some new destructive device that Danny is filing under the category of to be avoided, when the subject suddenly changes.
Jack Fenton: Tomorrow's going to be great Danny, we'll have a party, and maybe even catch some ghosts!
Danny Fenton: Couldn't we have a party without ghosts?
Jasmine: Not in this family, but Uncle Iggy will probably come tomorrow.
Danny: Uncle Iggy?
Mattie Fenton: Oh yeah, that's right, Ignatius came for Jas's fifteenth birthday didn't he Jack? He'll probably be here early tomorrow.
Danny: So who is this Uncle Iggy, and why have I never met him?
Jack Fenton: He's not really your Uncle Danny, now that I think about it, he's not any relation to us at all, but he just sort of shows up at every Fenton's fifteenth birthday.
Danny: And you don't think that's a little odd?
Jack Fenton: What could be odd about that?
Danny: Never mind.
Later that night. Danny was talking on the phone with Tucker and Sam.
Tucker: So we're still on for tomorrow right?
Sam: Can you get any more childish Tucker?
Tucker: Hey I don't see you turning down cake and ice cream.
Danny: (light hearted) Of course you guys are invited, I'm sure my Dad will leave some cake and ice cream for the rest of us... this year.
Sam: Just how long did your mother yell at him for that last year?
Sounds of Mattie Fenton yelling could be heard faintly
Danny: She's still yelling. Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow, and with a little luck, there'll be no ghost stuff tomorrow.
Sam: Goodnight Danny.
Tucker: Goodnight. Seriously though, don't let your Dad eat it all before we get there.
Danny: I won't, see you guys tomorrow.
Danny hung up the phone, as he glanced out the window, just for a moment it seemed to him as if all the colors inverted.
Danny: What was that? (yawn) I'm not getting enough sleep.
Danny turns off the light and goes to bed. The next day dawns bright and clear, Jaz and his parents burst into Danny's room just as the first rays of begin to wake him.
All Together: Happy Birthday Danny!
Danny: (light hearted) Thanks.
Jack: What are you still doing in bed, we've got so many things to do today!
The day was spent with family, out doing things together, that evening, Tucker and Sam came over to enjoy cake and ice cream, at six o'clock, the doorbell rang.
Jack: There's Iggy, right on time.
Jaz led in a stranger that Danny had never seen before. He had a piece of paper in one hand and a pencil in the other.
Ignatious: Let's see, Daniel Fenton, oh great another Fenton, come along boy, let's get this over with.
Jasmine: You've got to see his car Danny!
Enter Tucker and Sam
Tucker: Are we in time for cake?
Sam: Is that all you can think about?
Tucker: No, of course not, but this is a birthday party Sam, there's supposed to be cake and ice cream.
Jack: So, Igneous how long can you stay in town?
Ignatious: It's Ignatious you tub of lard, it means one who ignites. Igneous is a type of rock.
Jasmine: (In a low aside to Danny) He'll take you for a ride in his car, give you a talk on responsibility and drop you off back here, his family obligations dealt with, we won't see him again until one of our kids turns fifteen. Just go a long and he'll go away quicker.
Danny: (Nods, then in a normal voice.) Can my friends come too?"
Ignatious: (Glances to consider Tucker and Sam) Yes, yes, they can come with you. Come children.
They followed Ignatious to a huge black stretch limousine. The back doors opened automatically as they approached.
Danny: Nice car.
Ignatious: It serves it's purpose.
Ignatious snaps his fingers and the doors shut and lock and the limo begins to move.
Sam: Oh very nice, but where are we going?
Ignatious: You are here because Daniel Fenton asked for your presence. He is here for his testing, which with any luck he'll fail. It took weeks to clean up the mess left behind by his sister, and let's not even get started on his father. I don't think some of the Staff will ever recover from the terror of Jack Fenton.
Danny: Testing? Jaz didn't say anything about this.
Ignatious: Of course she didn't, she failed. Her memories were modified and she was sent back. Now, let us begin. In the past few days have you noticed anything strange?
Danny: Define strange, odd things are sort of common around me.
Ignatious: Of course, did you notice that colors were suddenly brighter for a few moments, or start seeing things out of the corner of your vision where there was nothing? Did you feel any odd sensations that you couldn't explain, any strange feelings?
Danny: No, wait, yes, last night just before I went to bed it was like all the colors reversed themselves, I thought I was just tired.
Ignatious: Inverted colors, interesting. Do you have any unusual hobbies or abilities?
Danny: No, not really.
Tucker: Well besides hunting ghosts you mean.
Sam elbows Tucker hard.
Ignatious: Yes of course, your parents do have this obsession with ghosts don't they. Are you a proficient ghost hunter Daniel? Have you caught many ghosts?
Danny: Not really.
Ignatious: Moving on, what about your schooling, would you call your grades, average, above average or below average?
Danny: Average.
Ignatious: I see.
Suddenly Ignatious shivered and Danny's Ghost Sense went off.
Box Ghost: I am the Box Ghost!
Ignatious doesn't let Box Ghost continue, he makes a sharp gesture sending the ghost flying from the vehicle.
Danny: How did you do that?"
Ignatious: Lots and lots of practice.
Sam: You know he'll be back right?
Fright Knight: You should be worrying about me!
A hastily erected shield protects Danny from the Fright Knight's sword.
Danny: Ok, that's new, but here's a classic! Going Ghost!
Ignatious: Your test begins now, Ecto Corpealus!
Danny's ghost powers vanished, he was sitting as Danny Fenton instead of Danny Phantom, the car faded away around them, Ignatious was the only one standing, the rest of them landed unceremoniously on their bottoms. They were in a large dome.
Sam: What did you do? Where are we?"
Ignatious: I am the proctor of these examinations, Daniel, I will ensure that these examinations do not kill you. I didn't know about your Ghost Powers, so let us see how you fare without them.
The Fright Knight struck again, and again a shield saved Danny, but it was different from his Ghost Shield.
Danny: I still have powers. Cool!
Danny used an energy beam shot from his hands to drive the Fright Knight back. The fight was very different than usual, since Danny's ghost powers didn't work he was forced to adapt his old skills to his new powers. Through the whole thing Ignatious was making notes on a pad. Spacing choice comments on Danny's fight as it progressed. After Danny knocked the Fright Knight into the wall, his powers began coming back first his arms and then his legs changed.
Danny: Now it's time to send you back to the Ghost Zone, Permanently.
Energy glowed from both fists, one ghost energy, one the new type of power he'd been using.
Sam: Danny NO! That's not the real Fright Knight!
Tucker: What are you talking about, of course it's the real Fright Night.
Sam: No it's not, use your head Tucker, he always waited for Danny to make the first move, and at first he was making sure to not actually hurt Danny, this is all part of the test.
Ignatious: Indeed, thank you Roland, I believe that will be quite enough.
The Fright Knight stood carefully, wobbling a bit before steadying. He pressed something on his chest and there was a muscular looking youth standing there holding a wooden sword and wearing a black uniform.
Roland: Thank you sir. (Turning to address Danny) Ghost Powers huh, I think you and I are going to be very good friends. If of course you pass the rest of your exam.
Danny: (Sagging with exhaustion) There's more?
Ignatious: Yes, if you'll all follow me. Roland, you make sure to study for your test next week.
Roland: I will sir.
They followed Ignatious through a door, this next room was also dome shaped but it was filled with books. Ignatious walk over to a shelf and pulled off a heavy green book. He opened it and held it out to Danny.
Ignatious: Tell what this page says.
Danny: I think it's Latin, but I can't read it. Sam?
Sam: You're hopeless, it says Knowledge is Power.
Ignatious raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He put the book back and selected another one. He opened this one to a page in the back
Ignatious: Read but do not say the lines on this page. (He shows the book to everyone, and closes it after he was sure they'd all read it.) Now, I want each of you to whisper what you read into my ear one at a time.
Sam: Whispering
Tucker: Whispering
Danny: Whispering
Ignatious: Excellent.
Danny's transformation completed.
Danny: Finally.
Tucker: I still don't get what caused you to loose your Ghost Powers like that.
Sam: It happened when he said Ecto Corpealus.
Danny's transformation vanished, he dropped to the floor.
Danny: Not again...(Danny transforms back.) Well that didn't last long. Don't ever say that again.
Tucker: What Ecto Corpealus? Why not?
Danny dropped to the floor again, but his ghost powers almost immediately reasserted themselves.
Danny: Stop saying that!
Sam: How come he looses his powers when someone says...(Interrupted by Danny)
Danny: Don't!
Ignatious: It makes ghosts temporarily lose their powers. In the case of you two, very temporary. Now for the final portion of the exam. All of you listen closely I'm only going to go over this once. In this world there are many types of people and all of these people possess some type of ability or talent for something. Some people however have an additional ability or two or three. We call these abilities Sparks. Sparks come in several varieties also, but the most common are Martial, Spell, Intellectual, Natural, and most recently Technological. Everyone has some ability with all of these things to some extent or another, but some people like Daniel are born with a natural inclination for more than one Spark. I am an Igniter, my job is to provide fuel to these special individuals so that their Sparks can flare to life as active abilities.
Danny: But why did you single me out?
Ignatious: Because your Sparks are potentially very dangerous if left unchecked when you came of age, an Igniter, me, was sent to you to see if you were a) capable of activating your sparks in any kind of controlled manner, and b) to find out where you wanted to go from here, your Sparks are active now, you have two options you can train them or suppress them. If you choose to suppress them, your memories of this encounter will be erased and you'll go back to your life as if nothing had happened. If, however, you choose to train them, we have a variety of classes available for you to do so.
Danny was silent while Tucker and Sam stared on.
Danny: You said Jazz and my Dad failed?
Ignatious: Don't take this the wrong way but your father should be locked away for everyone else's safekeeping, when his powers were activated...(Ignatious closes his eyes as if to block out a bad memory) He had great powers and great control, but he was crazy, his childish mind nearly destroyed us all. It took ten people with Spark Powers like this world will probably never see again to subdue him and seal his powers away again. Your Sister was just the opposite, she had mid range powers but no control, and any power uncontrolled is dangerous regardless of potency.
Danny: And me?
Ignatious: You did exceptional, you displayed a Martial Spark like many do, but you also displayed Spell and Intellectual, which isn't really so rare a combination but when combined with your Martial Spark and a truly rare Ethos Spark, plus your Ghost Powers, which by the way you should have told me about, all of that together makes you an extremely talented young man.
A man came in he was wearing pink saffron robes.
Glydden: Ah, Ignatious, you're still here, these then must be our newest Sparks.
Ignatious: Not yet Master Glydden, they have yet to complete the examination.
Glydden: Bah, they made it this far and you're still talking to them. If they had failed you'd have had them out of here by now.
Glydden began walking the rows of books searching for a title. He found the one he wanted and returned to a table to sit with it.
Tucker: You still didn't answer his question. Why specifically did you go to Danny's house on his fifteenth birthday?
Glydden: That question is not for you to ask young Spark. When your friend has completed his training he'll know and if he chooses to tell you that is up to him, not you.
Sam: So the final test is to stay or go, but why are you including all of us? I thought you came to test Danny.
Danny: Come on Sam, even I know that one, it's because of those words ... a spell I guess. I don't think they work for just anyone.
Ignatious: For a weak ghost, anyone could say those words and temporarily weaken it. That particular charm works for everyone, but for a strong ghost like yourself it should not have worked at all. Even if your innate defenses didn't block the spell for you to loose your powers even for an instant is a remarkable achievement for a novice.
Glydden: He's an igniter, he ignites all sparks near him when he's using his ability. So when he ignited your friends gift he also ignited yours. Of course you may always choose to leave. Many do, in fact most do these days, I fear that we're a dying breed.
Ignatious: I fear the day when there's no one to begin teaching kids with powerful sparks to control them at fifteen. We all know what happens when a Spark flares to life on it's own.
Glydden: Perish the thought.
Break to the present.
Danny: Is that popcorn?
Box Ghost: Yes, it is the sweet buttery kernels of popped corn!
Spectra: While this is all entertaining, I want to know why you're so miserable here and now.
Walker: Wait, let us hear the rest of the boy's story.
Danny looked around, all of his old foes were standing around him, listening intently to his every word except for Technus.
Danny: (laughs weakly) Ok, but pass the Popcorn.
Danny: Tucker and Sam were given a choice...
Ignatious: One at a time, each of you will be given a choice, to stay and learn all you can about your particular Sparks or to leave with no memory of this place or how you got here.
Tucker: You're talking about school right. This place is a school isn't it?
Ignatious: Yes.
Tucker: Then count me out. School on top of school isn't for me.
Ignatious: Very well. What about you Samantha?
San: I want to try at least, the worst I can do is fail right.
Ignatious: Indeed. And you Daniel will you be staying or going?
Danny: You mean I get a choice?
Glydden: Of course young one, there is always a choice. Although, we shall all be less if you choose not to stay.
Ignatious: Master Glydden, that is uncalled for. The decision to stay or go must be up to him and him alone.
Danny: Can you help me learn to control my ghost powers better?
Ignatious: Among many other things.
Danny: Then yes I'll stay.
Ignatious: That is good. Samantha, Daniel, if you two will wait here a moment. Come with me Tucker.
Tucker: Where are you talking me?
Ignatious: Back to where you were. If you are not a student here, then you have no place within these compounds.
Tucker was led away, when Ignatious came back he led Sam and Danny to a room full of clothes.
Ignatious: Uniforms, all students wear Uniforms while here but you do have some choices. Samantha, there are female clothes on the other side of that door, I don't believe there are any dresses or skirts, but I think you'll find something that you like. (Sam leaves through the door that Ignatious indicates) Daniel, your uniform is green and black or gray and black, why they don't give the boys the same range of choices they give the girls I don't know. I suggest you get some of each, you'll need to wear the uniform at all times within the school.
Danny picked up four wrapped packages, two with a green tag and two with a gray tag.
Ignatious: My aren't we confident.
Danny: What do you mean?
Ignatious: Most students destroy their first four sets of uniforms on their first day.
Danny swallowed hard and took several more sets.
Danny: How are you going to get my parents to pay for all this.
Ignatious: We're not, everything you use is cataloged and what you don't replace at some point during your time here, will be billed to you once you've completed your schooling. It's never happened in my memory, but the option is left open, most students more than compensate the school, I doubt that you'll be any different. Since you displayed such remarkable control and you already have Ghost Powers, your first few months will be geared to finding where you belong in our school, and rest assured you belong somewhere. You will report to Dome 7 room 19 tomorrow at five pm sharp, punishments for tardiness can be excessive.
Break to the Present. Danny pulls away from Spectra shaking himself
Danny: I really wish you wouldn't do that.
Spectra: Now we're getting to the heart of it. That's it, tell Spectra everything!
Danny: And here I thought I needed therapy...(Danny shakes himself again for good measure) Anyway that was five months ago, the training was intense, worse when regular school started back up. To help me control my Ghost Wail, my tutors sent me to singing lessons, to help me learn to sing, the choir teacher sent me to music lessons where I picked this up I learned to sing, I learned to play and I learned to control my powers, but yesterday... yesterday things went horribly wrong, again.
Fade Back
Sam, Danny, and Tucker were sitting outside of the school. Danny had books spread out before him and was making notes as he read. Sam was reading a book, and Tucker was finishing his food.
Sam: Agh! I hate this! (she hurls the book away)
Tucker: Even though it sucks that I don't remember, I'm so glad I chose not to do extra school work.
Sam looks as if she's going to strangle Tucker.
Danny: Easy Sam, he's right, it was our choice, what's giving you trouble?
Sam: What ability allows a person to move through solid objects?"
Tucker: Duh! Even I know this one. It's called Ghosting.
Danny: He's right, you of all people should know that.
Sam: Are you serious? It's really called Ghosting? Oh come on! That was so obvious, I'm supposed to be the smart one."
Danny: Are you implying that we aren't as smart as you?
Sam: Not at all... well you...
Tucker: (Interrupting) Look out!
Without turning, Danny caught a football headed straight for them.
Tucker: How do you do that?"
Sam: Area Sensing, Danny's pretty good at it. It's sort of like a bubble around him, and whenever something is inside of that bubble he's aware of it.
Quan: (shouting from a distance) Toss it back Fenton!
Danny, stands, turns and throws the ball back. It's a perfect spiral straight to Quan.
Danny: You know if you really want to learn, you can apply again when your sixteen.
Tucker: No thanks, but you know, you really ought to consider going out for the football team with an arm like that. You're almost turning into a Jock.
Danny: (Laughing) Please no, not that, it's just all the training.
Paulina walked by and purposely spilled her tray on Sam.
Paulina: Oh look a nobody got dirty.
Sam: (Bursting to her feet) You self righteous, pampered cow!
Paulina: Oh, is Susy Nobody going to fight me now, as if, now go away my day is bad enough.
Sam: It's about to get a whole lot worse! My day's been just peachy too.
Paulina: You have no idea what I go through every day! Do you know how hard it is to be me!
Sam: What to stand around and look pretty while everyone else does your work for you! News flash bimbo. THAT"S NOT THAT HARD! I'll bet you've never even broken a sweat!
Paulina: You couldn't even go a day doing what I do, it proves it by the way you dress.
Danny stands to separate the two girls. Sam mutters something under her breath and Danny is frozen in place with his hands out.
Danny: Sam, what are you doing! Let me go!
Sam: Pipe down Danny, let her put her mind where her mouth is. If you think that you can last a whole day as me, then take his hand, or are you scared to learn something new.
Paulina: I'm not afraid of anything you can dish out!
Paulina grabs Danny's left hand, Sam his right.
Sam: Spirit Channel!
Danny falls to the ground. Something seems to pass between Sam and Paulina.
Sam\Paulina: What is that supposed... what am I doing over there!
Paulina\Sam: It's a body switch, you get to prove that you can be me for one whole day, and I get to be you. I'm going to enjoy this. (she saunters away)
Danny struggles to his feet.
Tucker: Danny are you ok?"
Danny: No, and this is going to be bad.
Sam\Paulina: What did witch girl do to me?
Danny: She switched your bodies, don't worry it wears off after twenty four hours. You go through the day as her and she goes through the day as you. Literally walking a mile in each other's shoes. She's gone, to wherever it is that you're supposed to be and you're going to do what she's supposed to be doing, which at the moment is studying for a test.
Sam\Paulina: She's going to change me back!
Danny:(sighs) Even if she could, without the same spirit conduit used to make the transfer it's impossible, and I wouldn't survive another transfer. You'll just have to wait. You might even learn a few things about Sam, I know she's going to learn a few things about you. The only thing to do is pretend to be Sam and go with the flow. Tomorrow this will all be a bad dream.
Danny returned to his seat. Sam\Paulina stormed off, only to return a few moments later.
Sam\Paulina: So how does this work.
Danny handed her a book. The bell rang and they went to their classes. After school, they were walking down the street.
Tucker: Well guys I'll see you later.
Danny: Don't forget about Lancer's quiz.
Tucker: I'll ace it. Good luck with her.
Danny: I'm sure she'll do fine.
Sam\Paulina: We're not going out on a date or anything are we?
Danny: No, you and I are going to class.
Sam\Paulina: You have school after school, how remedial are you losers.
Danny: You'll see this way.
Break Scene
Danny and Sam\Paulina walk into the training dome in their uniforms.
Trainer1: Manson, Fenton, you're late!
Danny: She had to color coordinate her uniform. (rolling his eyes)
Trainer2: Is that an excuse I hear?
Sam\Paulina: Fashion must come first, all her... I mean my clothes are dark and boring.
Trainer1: That's so as not to show the blood and sweat as easily. One hundred push-ups for tardiness, and thirty laps around the dome for a bad excuse.
Danny did as he was told, but Sam\Paulina balked, and was swatted, then as she strained to do the push-ups she was yelled at.
Trainer2: I can see we've been too soft on you if that's what you call a push up!
Danny sensing that Paulina was on the verge of a break down whispered softly to her.
Danny: You can do this. Focus on your breathing, breath in and push, breath out relax, in, push, out, in, out...
They finished their push-ups and Sam\Paulina got to her feet.
Sam\Paulina: Now what?
Danny: Now we run, thirty laps around the dome. Just like the push-ups, focus on your breathing, in and out.
They started to run. When they finished they were both hunched over panting. Danny straightened and went to retrieve two cups of water. He handed one to Sam\Paulina.
Danny: Drink it slowly or you'll cramp up.
Sam\Paulina: Thanks, you know you're actually a nice guy. You have no chance at me, but you're a nice guy.
Danny: Don't worry I'm not going to hit on you. I'll show you to your classroom. Sam's due to be taking a test, just do your best, she can deal with the consequences of her own actions later.
Sam\Paulina: What about you?
Danny: My classroom is elsewhere. In the morning this won't even seem real to you.
Sam\Paulina: But I will remember what Witch Girl did to me right?
Danny: Probably not. This is Sam's class, she sits on the far left side of the room in the front.
As Danny turned away from the door he almost collided with one of his tutors.
Tutor A: That's not Samantha Manson is it?
Danny: No, that's Paulina. She and Sam were arguing.
Tutor A: And Sam performed a Body Switch to get out of a test she didn't study for.
Danny: No, it's not like that, it's actually my fault. (hurriedly)
Tutor A: Explain.
Danny: They were arguing and I thought that maybe it'd help if they each knew what the other one's day was like. I forgot about Sam's test today. I hope they'll let her retake it when she explains what happened.
Tutor A: I'll see to it, but this is a serious infraction, you'll be severely punished.
Break Scene
Danny is laying prone on the ground, he opens his eyes slowly. Sam is standing over him.
Danny: Oh, my head. (getting slowly to his knees.
Sam: Do you always have to play the hero! (angrily)
Danny: What are you talking about?
Sam: Don't play dumb with me Danny, you told them that you did the Body Switch. Did you think that I couldn't handle it because I was a girl! Worse you make that twit think it was a dream! She won't remember anything.
Danny: So the Body Switch is over, but it hasn't been twenty four hours has it?
Sam: No, it hasn't they undid it.
Danny: I was only trying to help you out. I didn't want you to get into trouble.
Sam: Well don't help me Danny! Don't do me any favors! You don't have to protect me, I can take care of myself!
Sam storms away leaving a confused, and hurting Danny. He seeks refuge from the pain in his Ghost Form. Danny's voice picks up narration.
Danny: So now I'm here, my two best friends, one has no clue about my life, and I can't tell him, and the other hates my guts. To top it all off, today I'm supposed to be joining regular classes, so there's going to be a whole new set of people to deal with. And the icing on the cake is this, Sam raped my powers a second time to insure that I'd never help her again.
Walker: It just goes to show who your real friends are.
Spectra was in a misery orgasm floating some distance away from Danny.
Danny: Is she ok?
Bertrand: She'll be fine. So, you're not going to stop us from attacking your town anymore?
Danny: I'd really rather you didn't, but as long as Sam's there I can't do anything to help, because helping the town would be helping her. (Danny's Spirits sank even lower) I don't understand why she'd do something like this.
Skulker: With your powers you could break past such restrictions, could you not?
Danny: I could, but doing so falls in the realm of forbidden acts. If there's one thing I've learned over the past five months, it's a healthy respect for the rules.
Skulker: Sometimes rules must be broken.
Walker: But most times they shouldn't. Kid's finally got his head on straight.
Skulker: But this means no more hunting, what's the thrill of the hunt when your prey can't fight back?
Danny: I think they call that sport. Why do you want to hunt me anyway?
Skulker: You are a worthy adversary. Almost as much fun as the girl child.
Danny: You mean Valerie, watch out for her Skulker, her new weapons are dangerous even for you.
The Fenton Ghost Speeder came racing in. Tucker and Jaz were inside it.
Tucker: Danny! Technus is attacking Amity Park, Sam needs help!
Danny: Sam will have to help herself from now on. Even if I had the strength to fight Technus right now, which I don't, she made sure that I'd never be able to help her. I can't help her, or anyone else, why don't you go to Fenton Works, it's probably safer there.
Jasmine: Can't or won't. I never thought of you as a coward Danny! Mom and Dad are there too.
Danny: Jaz, you don't understand... Why am I bothering to try to explain. I can't help you. I'm sorry.
Spectra moans in delight, all the other ghosts edge away from her.
Tucker: Dude, is she alright?
Danny shrugs
Plasmius: Well you Daniel are most certainly not! (An arm shoots out. Danny is shocked with the Plasmius Maximus)
Danny's ghost form fades, Danny sinks to the ground, his body wracked with pain. As his ghost powers fade completely he ghosts through the rock and floats away.
Jasmine: You idiot! Now he's lost his powers, who's going to stop Technus!
Tucker: It only lasts four hours Jaz, but I don't think he had that much power to begin with. We'd better go get him.
Lunch Lady: But first dearies, you have to go through US!
Jasmine: Tucker, get us out of here!
At Fenton Works
Sam: Where's Danny!
Tucker: Floating through the Ghost Zone. Plasmius got to him before we could. What did you do to him Sam? Why doesn't he want to come help you?
Jasmine: He didn't say he didn't want to, he said he couldn't, you forced some kind of promise out of him didn't you! (accusingly)
Seven hours later, Danny Fenton hobbled through the Ghost Shield. His parents came rushing out to him.
Jack: Where have you been? Your mother has been worried sick about you.
Mattie: But you're alright now, you're safe here. That Ghost can't get through our shield.
Danny: Do you have the whole town under here?
Jack: Of course, we can't turn our backs on everyone during a Ghost Crisis.
Danny: You're going to have to, the Manson Family is going to have to brave it on their own outside of Amity Park. It's the only way.
Mattie: Danny, you're talking nonsense.
Jasmine: I knew it, she did do something to you!
Within an hour the entire Manson Family was packed into the Speeder.
Danny: Watch out for Technus, once your outside of the City Limits I'll be able to deal with him. I hope, I'm still not back at full strength.
Sam: You would be if you weren't always the hero. Thanks. I'm sorry about what I did, I wish I hadn't done it.
Danny: So do I, but what's done can't be undone. Good luck and stay safe.
Several minutes later, Danny sighed almost in relief. Jasmine caught him sneaking out of the Ghost Shield.
Jasmine: You're going to help now right?
Danny: Yes, but I could still loose, I'm not at full strength yet. I'll be careful.
On the other side of the shield, Danny Fenton became Danny Phantom, and went in search of Technus. Once found it didn't take long to send him packing and suck him into the Fenton Thermos. Danny was found unconscious by Sam in the Speeder as they returned to the city. She took him home.
Mattie: Where was he?
Sam: He was near the school. I hope he's going to be alright.
Mattie: Why wouldn't he be? What's Danny been doing?
Sam: He should have been resting, he should have been laying in bed but he wasn't. Because of me! (she was near tears) He was trying to protect me...
They carry Danny upstairs and remove his uniform. His back is a massive red splotch with hundreds of tiny individual welts all over it. Fortunately Danny's parents don't see this. Only Tucker, Sam, and Jasmine are in the room.
Tucker: What did this to him?
Sam: When he told them that he did the Body Switch Spell they did this to him. It should have been me, Danny didn't do the Body Switch I did. He took the blame for me.
Tucker: I know that, but what did that to him.
Sam: A machine, the first thing it does is carefully strip away the top two layers of skin on your back, leaving pink and tender flesh exposed. Then it carefully and precisely delivers the specified number of lashes with a small tipped flail, the results look like that. Danny I'm so sorry, I wish I could undo all this.
Danny: (stirring) Well, you can't. I need to get some rest.
The next day, Danny was moving a little stiffly, life was returning to normal quickly. Danny didn't sit with Tucker and Sam at lunch time. He didn't sit near them in classes. He didn't even acknowledge their presence near him all day long. Later that day he changed to go to his other classes for the first time. He was more than a little nervous, he'd spent five months with private tutors and now he was going to be in classes like everyone else.
The male students in the room were all dressed similarly in either green and black or gray and black. The females had as much variation in color as style. Their ages were dissimilar however.
Roland: Danny! So you made it after all.
Danny: Yeah, I did.
Roland: Wait, don't I know you from Casper High, your sister is Jaz isn't she?
Danny: (startled) Yeah, red hair, and too smart for her own good. But I've never seen you before.
Roland: Sure you have, you just weren't paying attention. That little twerp Baxter is always picking on you.
To hear Dash Baxter referred to as a little twerp was too much for Danny, he started to laugh. Another student came in, this one Danny did recognize.
Craig: Always knew you were one of us Fenton, or should I call you Phantom. I've seen you practicing. You're the Ghost Boy Danny Phantom aren't you.
Roland: Craig, come on, Danny is still alive, he's not a ghost, even though he does have Ghost Powers.
Danny: Actually, he's right, I am Danny Phantom, half ghost, half human. I guess, it's not a secret here, where everyone has powers.
Roland: Show us.
Danny transformed.
Danny: So what's your ability?
Craig: Roland's like you, he's got more than one active spark. Poor Sods, I wouldn't trade with either one of you. Most of us have only one active spark and one or two passive sparks. For example, I can manipulate technology with my mind. That's my active spark. My passive spark is Intellectual, meaning that book smarts come a little easier for me.
Danny: Who's that over there? (Gesturing to a surly looking student in the back.
Roland: That's Marvin, he's a rich kid. When he started here he thought he was so much better than the rest of us because he was wealthy but his Spark is practically useless. He's a good guy underneath the attitude.
Danny: What can he do?
Craig: He's an Invigorator, he can purify and cleanse most liquids and foods.
Roland: Basically, he always drinks one hundred percent pure water. Like I said, practically useless.
Danny: Are you kidding? Do you know what he could do for polluted lakes and streams, not to mention oil spills. If you were ever stranded without food and water, he'd be the perfect guy to bring with you, he could get you pure drinking water.
Craig: That's true.
Instructor A: (entering in a puff of smoke) Settle class. Settle. We have a new student today, Mr. Fenton, please come to the front of the room and tell us a little about yourself.
Danny walked up to the front of the room, there weren't very many students here. No more than ten other students all of varying ages.
Seth: We all know who he is, we've all seen him before. Dude, you need a better secret identity.
Christiana: Like you'd have ever figured it out. It's obvious now, but before... Danny, I do have some uniform ideas for your Ghost Form that might hide your identity a little better. Come by my quarters later, and bring Roland with you.
Meagan: We know about Spark Powers, tell us how you got your Ghost Powers.
Danny fidgeted for a moment.
Danny: Well, first it's a little weird for me to even be having this conversation, most people are either afraid of me or trying to hunt me down. Ghost Powers, it was actually an accident the first time, and purposeful the second time. My parents as you all probably know are obsessed with Ghosts. They wanted to be able to see into the Ghost Zone, so they built a huge Ghost Portal, it didn't work at first. My Dad had forgotten to turn a switch on inside the portal itself. So when my friends convinced me to go look inside, I accidentally flipped the switch. The activation of the Ghost Portal is what initially gave me my Ghost Powers.
Marvin: You said the first time, you mean you've lost them before?
Danny: Yes, Desiree the wishing ghost overheard Sam and I arguing. Sam wished that she'd never met me and Desiree granted that wish. Well if I'd never have met Sam, I'd not have ever gone into the portal in the first place, so I lost my Ghost Powers and all my memories of having them. You all remember the Meteor Shower right? Desiree was going to use the shower to grant wishes to make herself more powerful. Sam convinced me that I had to do something to stop her, and so I entered the portal a second time. The problem was obvious. I had my powers back, but it was as if I'd just gotten them. I didn't know how to use them. Sam made a second wish and at this point, Desiree was granting every wish she heard. So Sam talked fast and got her to undo the argument, and remember everything that had happened, as well as add the logo. When it comes down to it though, they're just another Spark. They're a power that I'll pass on to my kids and so on. I'm not the only half ghost.
Marcus: I'll bet you have so many cool adventures.
Danny: I don't know if I'd call them adventures, most of the time in my Ghost Mode, I'm fighting. I haven't really gotten to spend a lot of time having fun with my Ghost Powers. Then I came here, and my tutors spent the whole time straining my powers in new ways.
Instructor A: Well we'll go a long way to changing that Mr. Fenton. What good is having an active spark if you can't have a little fun with it every now and then. Thank you for sharing your story with us. If you'll have a seat near Marvin we'll begin. (Danny took a seat) That isn't to say however that it's alright to misuse your abilities. Having powers means that you must use them responsibly. I'm sure many of you would like to be like Mr. Fenton, out there showing off your abilities, and saving people, but let us read between the lines of what he said, and what he didn't say. I'm sure you'll all recall...
The lesson was a lesson in ethics, and gave several compelling reasons to not show off your abilities to anyone. All of which Danny could relate to. When the lesson was over, the teacher left and everyone else stayed where they were.
Roland: So, your first class, did you learn anything?
Danny: More than I care to admit. Why didn't I take this class before I decided to play the hero. Sam's right, I don't think things through often enough. There are still a lot of times when I would give almost anything to make everything go back the way it was before. No Ghost Powers.
Marvin: But then you probably wouldn't be here.
Danny: Maybe, maybe not, Ignatious would still have come to my fifteenth birthday, but without my Ghost Powers, who knows if I'd have been able to control my regular powers enough to pass his test.
Marcus: I still wish I had Ghost Powers like yours.
Danny: Don't say that!
High laughing.
Desiree: Too late Ghost Child, So he has wished it so shall it be!
Marcus transformed into Marcus Phantom version.
Danny: (Sighing) How long does he have Desiree?
Desiree: Not long, even less time than your friend Tucker did.
Danny: I don't suppose you'd change him back as a favor to me would you?
Desiree: Not on your afterlife.
Danny blasts her with his Ghost Ray.
Marcus: This is so awesome!
Danny: No, it's not, the Ghost Powers will destroy you. I'm sorry to have to do this, but it'll keep you safe until I can get back to Fenton Works. It's a little tight.
Danny uses the Fenton Thermos to capture Marcus.
Roland: Dude, that's way harsh, you didn't have to do that to him.
Danny: He's ok, he's just trapped inside the Thermos, back at Fenton Works I can safely separate his ghost powers from him and he can go back to being himself. Desiree's wishes always come with a monstrous or horrifying twist. The Ghost Powers would have consumed him until there was nothing left of the Marcus you knew. Believe me I've already been down that road. I should go now.
Roland: But your next class.
Danny: Take good notes! (as he ghosts through the ceiling of the room.)
Cue music, end show.