Author's note: Merry Christmas!
Haddley on Tumblr drew these real cute pics of Danny as a reindeer, so I was compelled to write this Christmas poem to go with them! You can check out the drawings on her Tumblr (or on mine, imekitty).
Danny the Half-Ghost Reindeer
Young Danny the reindeer raced fast through the snow.
No time for distractions; he had somewhere to go.
He was so out of breath amidst all his jumping.
"I should try more in P.E.; no wonder I'm flunking..."
At last, up ahead, he could finally see
All the other reindeer in a clearing in the trees.
He quickly located his reindeer friends
And slipped in between them, hoping to blend.
"Danny, where were you? You're late," scolded Sam.
"Yeah, dude," said Tucker. "It's the big flight exam!"
Before Danny could speak, their teacher appeared.
"Late again," drawled Lancer, "just like every day this year."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Lancer, but you see, my parents' lab-
"There was a spill, and I had to-" "That's enough of your gab."
"I said be on time. I told you no exceptions."
Lancer turned up his nose. "You get an F and detention."
Danny stared at Mr. Lancer. He stared at Sam and Tuck.
Then he lowered his head and under his breath whispered, "Dang it."
But the big beefcake reindeer named Dash had some words.
"Have a heart, Mr. Lancer. Be nice to Fenturd."
"Sure, he was late, but come on, let him try.
"I need a good laugh, and we all know he can't fly."
Lancer scowled in thought, then expelled air from his chest.
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's get on with the test."
Each reindeer took off in steady procession,
Each hoping to make an aerial impression.
Kwan rocketed, Star shot, and Valerie ascended.
Big Dash also flew and quite simply was splendid.
But the most graceful of all was Paulina, the queen.
The most beautiful reindeer Danny had ever seen.
After Sam and Tucker, it was finally his chance.
Paulina was watching; he readied his stance.
He wrinkled his nose, he wiggled his tail.
He bolted up high, hoping to sail.
His deer legs kicked and his hindquarters twitched.
His cloppity hooves lurched forward and pitched.
He was up in the air in a brief boastful cant,
Then down on the ground in a snowy face-plant.
The snickers were loud, the cackles were stinging.
The laughter resounded with cacophonous ringing.
"See?" howled Dash. "I told you, Fenton's such fun.
"Always acting an ass in front of everyone."
Danny kept his face down and pressed to the ground.
The hollering and whooping continued all around.
Lancer walked up beside him. Danny lifted his head.
The teacher gave him a smirk and derisively said,
"I enjoy this irony, I have to confess.
"I allowed you to try, and you still got an F."
Danny moaned and wished he could just disappear,
Turn invisible, vanish, no longer be here.
Feeling desolate and shamed, the young reindeer walked home.
With Sam and Tucker by his side, he still felt alone.
"Oh, man," moaned Danny. "What will my parents say?
"Now I'll never get a chance to one day pull Santa's sleigh."
"Speaking of your parents," said Tucker, "here's a thought.
"Might there be something that could help you in their freaky workshop?"
"Hey, yeah!" agreed Sam. "Their lab! Let's move.
"I bet something in there could get you off your hooves."
Down in the Fenton lab, the trio scanned the room,
Searching for anything that could make Danny zoom.
Embedded in a wall was a large metal door.
Sam studied it closely, wanting to know more.
"What's this?" she asked, distracted from their objective.
"A ghost portal," said Danny, "but it's apparently defective.
"It's supposed to lead to another dimension,
"But my parents claim it's just a broken invention."
"A ghost portal? Wow!" said Sam with a shout.
"You've gotta go in! You've gotta check it out!"
After much persuasion, Danny finally stepped inside.
So dark and so strange, no light for a guide.
He reached out a hoof to feel for a wall
And so pressed a button in this mechanical hall.
A blinding flash, and he soon was changing
With burning pain and molecules rearranging.
He woke up later with such a fever in his head.
"Oh God," whispered Sam, "What have I done? Is he dead?"
Danny stood and blearily walked with a stumble.
"Guys, what happened?" he asked in a mumble.
Tucker sucked in a breath. "It isn't quite clear.
"But you might want to look at yourself in a mirror."
In alarm, Danny found a mirror for inspection
And gasped at the sight of his brand-new reflection.
A shiny black coat and antlers snow white,
Gleaming green eyes stared back with affright.
"What is this? What's happened? What's wrong with me?"
He looked down at himself. "Just how can this be?"
"You're glowing," said Tucker. "You're glowing so bright.
"All by yourself, like a star in the night.
"Of the strange things I've seen, this is utmost.
"I think that shock might've turned you half ghost!"
After some exploration, Danny discovered
That he could walk through walls, disappear, and hover.
"Guys, look! I'm flying!" Danny was now up by the ceiling.
"I cannot tell you how gleeful I'm feeling!
"Like any reindeer, I can now head for the skies!
"Except I'm more unique—not like the other guys!"
The reindeer were gathered again the next day,
Assembled for auditions to pull Santa's sleigh.
All braying and chattering in excited swarm.
Danny scampered and joined them, still in ghost form.
"Who are you?" asked Dash. "What is your name?
"And why are you glowing? Just what is your game?"
"I'm...Phantom," said Danny, "and I'm here to try out
To pull Santa's sleigh. That's what this is about."
Dash's brows stayed pressed together in question.
Then Paulina approached with coquettish expression.
"Hello, Phantom," said she, never one to be mute.
"I love your bright glow, and I think you're quite cute."
Danny's chest puffed out, his mouth curled in a smile,
Then he leapt off the ground with suave spectral style.
"I'm cute! I'm cute! She thinks I'm cute!" he squealed
As he tore through the air, soared and freewheeled.
Lancer smiled. "Though a little excessive,
"This calf's form is nothing short of impressive."
When Danny landed, Lancer trotted up with laud.
"You'd be a perfect addition to Santa's sleigh squad."
The reindeer all cheered, expressing delight.
This Phantom would make a great leader in flight!
Danny beamed but then frowned as he started to fizzle.
His blue-eyed coloring returned in a drizzle.
The reindeer all stared in quiet confusion.
Danny prayed this was somehow all just an illusion.
"No way!" sneered Dash. "It's really Fentgeek?
"Man, what a nerd, a half-ghost freak!"
The reindeer all laughed in howling bleats.
Danny lowered his head in dismal defeat.
With Sam and Tucker, Danny sadly plodded home.
Nothing to say, just deep sighs and moans.
"Buck up," quipped Sam. "It wasn't that bad."
"Yeah," agreed Tucker. "And your powers are rad."
Such comforting words from his dearest friends,
But Danny stayed quiet and sigh again.
A storm rolled in with a barrage of snow.
The skies were dark; visibility was low.
Santa stared out the window at the darkening hues,
Then turned to his reindeer team with bad news.
"We cannot see a thing in these dire conditions.
"We'll all have to cancel our Christmas mission."
The reindeer lowered their antlers, looking forlorn.
But Paulina held her head high, not yet ready to mourn.
"Santa," said she, "There's a reindeer we know.
"His name is Danny, and he has a bright glow."
"He could guide the sleigh, he could guide our team.
"Come meet him yourself; you'll see what I mean!"
At Fenton Works, there was a knock at the door.
When Danny opened it, his jaw fell to the floor.
"Santa!" he squeaked. "What are you doing here?"
Santa smiled. "I'm here for a very special reindeer."
Danny lowered his eyes. "I'm not special. I'm a freak."
Santa patted his head. "I hear you're unique.
"I hear you're half ghost and just right for this job.
"When you're transformed, you can light up this fog.
"So I ask you, Danny, with your glow so bright,
"Won't you please guide my sleigh team tonight?"
Ecstatic and joyful, Danny agreed,
Then off he went at incredible speed.
He met the other reindeer by Santa's sleigh,
Then transformed for them all among a chorus of "hooray!"
"You're perfect," said Santa. "This is where you belong."
"And you're still so cute," said Paulina in song.
At the head of the team, Danny hovered in lift.
The reindeer all cheered, except Dash, who was miffed.
Danny soared with the team and sleigh right behind,
Ready to give presents to all of mankind.
"Merry Christmas!" he shouted to all who could hear.
A merry Christmas indeed for the half-ghost reindeer.
...
Danny blissfully glided through the air, enjoying the whistling wind moving through his antlers. He looked down at his hooves somewhat giddily, marveling at how they really weren't touching the ground at all. He really was flying! And glowing! And leading Santa's sleigh!
This could not get any better.
Another reindeer was suddenly flying right beside him, a new reindeer, one that was definitely not a part of Santa's team. A reindeer that was flying solo. A reindeer that also had a ghostly glow. A reindeer with glasses and a goatee.
Danny scowled, strange memories suddenly collecting, memories of another life in which he wasn't a reindeer.
Things couldn't get better, but it seemed they could certainly get worse.
"So, Danny." The Ghost Writer reindeer smirked. "How did you like my Christmas story this year?"
"What? This was you? Again?" Danny growled. "Damn it, Ghost Writer, stop writing Christmas stories about me!"
"Never. You're my absolute favorite character to write about." The Ghost Writer looked down at the town below them. "Many others love writing about you as well, you know."
Danny stared at him in confusion, but the Ghost Writer only laughed and disappeared.
With the spectral author forcing him through some festive tale each year, Danny now had a new reason to hate Christmas.