Ch.2 Normalcy
Danny tried not to frown as he felt the stares boring into his back. That was one thing he would never get used. He had gone through fourteen years of his life going mostly unnoticed. The complete one-eighty had thrown him for a loop. It was almost impossible for him to understand why he had wanted to escape the shield of invisibility he and his friends had moved under before. His sensitive ears picked up the whispers behind him and he was powerless to stop the frown this time.
"I'm guessing school wasn't one of the things you missed during your trip huh?" Blinking, the halfa whipped his head to the side to find Sam leaning against the row of lockers next to him. A light smirk pulled at her lips and one of her dark eyebrows was quirked. The frown dissipated into a smile as the boy chuckled.
"Not exactly." Grabbing pile of dusty books from his locker, he sighed. Turning the books intangible, the dust floated to the ground. Sam's expression became wry, but she opted to not to comment as her boyfriend slammed his locker shut. "Where's Tuck?"
"Meeting." The goth rolled her eyes and shook her head. "He didn't specify what it was about. Probably another meeting with Bret Carson though." Danny quirked an eyebrow. "Tucker's trying to get him to move his men out of here. The Guys in White have been crawling out of the woodwork since you left. Valerie's been furious. Something about more inexperienced rookies messing with her work." The smirk was now full-fledged and Danny chuckled.
"I bet." The bell rang, and the couple joined the crowd in the march to home room. "But why are the Idiots in White here? I thought they finally got the picture that between me, Valerie, you and Tucker, and my parents we've got things covered. We don't need they're 'help'."
"That's what Tucker's trying to figure out. They mostly kept us alone until you left." The girl frowned and bit her lip. "I don't like this Danny. Something's not right. They're up to something and I don't trust them. Just promise me you'll be careful when you're with them. I wouldn't put it past those neat freak feds to stab you in the back without batting an eye."
"Don't worry. I've got things handled. I know better than to just blindly trust them. I'm not a complete idiot."
"Hmm," Sam hummed uncertainly. "Whatever you say Fenton." Her face lit up as the teen remembered something. "Oh! Don't forget. We're meeting at the Nasty Burger after school. Think of it as your official 'welcome home' party."
"Aw Sam," the boy whined, giving the goth a pathetic look. "You know I don't want to do anything. I'm back. That's good enough for me."
"Tough. We're celebrating whether you like it or not. And don't even think about being late! Jazz is coming home and if you make us have to deal with her over-protectiveness again I'll finish the ghost portal's job." Her tone was menacing but a smile threatened to tilt her lips. The halfa laughed and nodded, holding up his hands in defeat and sighing dramatically.
"Okay, okay. You win. I don't know why I even try."
"Yeah. You think you'd learn by now to not fight me. I'm always right."
The boy scoffed."Whatever you say Manson," he quoted. Sam scowled in irritation and aimed a punch at his arm. He easily dodged it and grinned as his girlfriend fumed. The last bell rang and the two slipped inside the classroom before Mr. Lancer could close the door.
A pair of eyes was immediately on him as a shiver raced down his spine. A pout threatened to appear on his face. He had been doing so well too! He had effectively hidden his surprised gasp and the trail of chilling mist twisting form his lisp with a hand covering his mouth and a yawn, nothing new during one of Mr. Lancer's lectures. No one had seen anything out of the ordinary with the action until he had shivered. Stupid human impulses. You'd think, being half-ghost, he'd be used to the cold.
"Danny?" Sam's whisper was urgent and demanding. The boy sitting in front of her, Mike or something, turned to glance at her, curious at her tone. The halfa suppressed a groan. The person next to Mike noticed the motion and followed his neighbor's example. There was a ripple that passed through the class as each student eventually turned to face the couple in the back. The goth ignored the looks, refusing to look away from her friend's blue eyes.
It wasn't long until the teacher noticed his audience's lack of attention and looked up from the passage he had been reading. There wasn't any surprise in his eyes when he followed his class's gaze to the famous ghost boy. "Is there a problem Mr. Fenton?" Wincing, the boy tried to ignore the twenty-five pairs of eyes trained on him. Blue eyes meeting the man's gaze, Danny tried not to flinch.
"Um..." Danny silently pleaded that whoever had decided to show up wasn't planning on causing trouble. He just wanted one day to pretend that things were back to normal and that the entire town wasn't waiting for his next big battle. His wishes went unheaded as a scream punctuated the silence. A scowl marred the boy's face and Sam looked less than happy. "Um.. Actually Mr. Lancer, can I please be excused for a moment." Several of the students starting murmuring excitedly, eyes lighting up in anticipation.
"They couldn't have waited one day?" Sam's grumble was spoken for his ears alone. Danny shot her a guilty glance before turning back to the man as he sighed in defeat.
"Very well Mr. Fenton." Mr. Lancer met his student's gaze sternly and frowned. "I expect you back here in ten minutes. No later." Biting back the protest, the halfa nodded and jumped form his seat, racing out of the classroom, but not before he had heard Sam claim she needed to see the nurse. Depending on if Lancer was cooperative today, she would probably meet him, thermos in hand, in five minutes. If not, then Valerie would have something.
As soon as the door close behind him, the twin rings encircled him, filling the hallway with a soft glow. He felt his body become weightless as his flesh and blood became ectoplasm. His baggy clothes were replaced with his hazmat, insignia declaring his name across his chest. A wry smile graced his lips as Phantom took to the air. Old habits died hard apparently. He was still making sure that no one was around when he transformed. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, the teen steeled himself for the next fight.
The second floor quickly passed through him as another scream reverberated in the halls.
"We are a federal organization. You have no right to restrict my men's movements in this town or anywhere else!"
"I do if the federal government had given me permission to. The government seems to understand what you don't: Danny Phantom, the Red Hunter, and Mr. And Mrs. Fenton have things under control here. There is no need for you to be 'examining' areas of Amity Park without my consent."
"Ghost attacks have doubled since your so-called 'hero's' appearance. It is my job to make sure that no one, no thing disturbs the balance, since you seem unwilling to do anything about it." Tucker bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something the man across from him could and would use against him.
"I am unwilling to try and fix something that doesn't need to be fixed Agent Carson. If you looked you would see that the amount of casualties and injures has also decreased since Phantom has started to defend this town. Now, you didn't answer my original question. Why are your men in Amity?"
"As I said before Mayor Foley: that is confidential information. I cannot easily release it to... those not directly involved in the case. I suggest you stop asking, because you will get no answer from me." The large man's thick black mustache shivered as the agent from the Guys in White spoke. Being higher up on the food-chain than most field agents, Bret Carson was in command of the positioning of a large amount of the organization. They hadn't figured out how far up he was, but he was the one they were dealing with now.
"I need an answer Agent Carson, or I can't give you permission to enter the town's perimeter. If you don't, you will get all your men out of my town and leave my friend alone." The young mayor shoved his chair back as he stood, hands banging on his desk in emphasis. Carson was silent for a moment before leaning forwards so he was eye level with the teen.
"I suggest you rethink your alliances Mr. Foley. The time is coming when those alliances might hurt you more than help you."
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not the kind of person who'd betray a friend."
"You might think otherwise in a few weeks." The man straightened and cleared his throat. "I will make a deal with you. I will give you a general description of what my men are doing if you allow them free access to your facilities. Deal?" The Guys in White leader held out his hand. Tucker looked at it for a second before his sea-foam green eyes locked with Carson's.
The redhead senior screamed, ducking beneath one of the lab tables as fire blocked her only path to the exit. Mr. Poluka stood in the doorway, trying to convince her to run. A monstrous roar sent a shiver through her and made her press her back closer to the desk. Her legs shook with fear. There was no way she was going to be able to escape without being burned alive.
The dragon ghost took a step forward and crushed one of the tables. An assortment of chemicals spilled onto the floor, steaming as they reacted with each other. The chemistry teacher gasped. "Rachael! Get out of there!" A quick glance confirmed the senior's worst fears. Fire licked both sides of the desk she was hiding behind again, and she let another scream escape her throat. There was no way she was going to survive this! She was going to die!
The black beast stepped forward, its head peaking over the desk. A cruel grin pulled at the creature's maw, revealing razor sharp teeth dripping with green saliva. Close enough to hear the grumbling work its way from the ghost's stomach, up its neck, and into its mouth, Rachael knew what that in a second she would be dead, burned to a crisp. With a powerful roar that rocked her entire body, the beast released the fire in a steady stream. Glueing her eye shut and curling into a ball, the trapped student waited for the pain.
Cold air rushed over her and gooseflesh appeared on her skin. Frowning, she opened her eyes wondering why she wasn't dead. Her heart lept into her throat as her eyes adjusted. The flames rained down on her, spilling around her like a waterfall. The whole world was tinted green, the film twisting with energy. Someone grunted beside her and the redhead finally realized she wasn't alone anymore. Her eyes widened as they took in the form of the famous ghost boy.
From what she could see, he was around average height, or at least he wasn't as tall as the jocks and he definitely wasn't short. He didn't have the body of a jock or the stereotypical superhero either with bulging muscles. His body was more streamlined and compact, like a gymnast. His white hair was mussed, probably from flying, and fell over his stern, glowing green eyes.
She finally understood why he had had a fan club even when half the town believed he was evil. If the heroics and mysterious nature hadn't drawn the girls in, his looks had.
His arms were extended and power flooded from them, creating the swirling green shield around the two teens. The odd colored flames licked against the barrier. Several of the beakers exploded, their contents reacting to the oppressive heat. Rachael's eyes opened as she remembered the spilled chemicals. Leaning back around the desk, she found the remains of the smashed desk. The dragon's fire was moving closer to the dangerous mixture.
"We have to get out here! It's going to explode!" The ghost teen turned to her, confusion, surprise, and annoyance written across his features.
"What!?"
"Those chemicals over there. If the fire reaches them, it'll make this entire side of the school explode." A grim line formed on the boy's brow as he looked in the direction she pointed. His pale eyebrows furrowed and she could see the gears turning in his head. Grunting in frustration, his green eyes met her brown and she felt like she was looking at someone far older than the boy.
"I have a plan. Grab on. We need to get you out of here first." Nodding shyly, Rachael wrapped her arms around the boy's neck. Making sure she had a tight hold, Phantom took a deep breath and dropped his shield.
The flames leapt at the teens, roaring along with the dragon. She felt the ghost boy tense beneath her and the next second they were in the air, the flames burning the spot they had just been. The dragon noticed its prey had disappeared and turned to glare at the pair. Anger burned in its dark eyes and flames lit up its maw again. "Shoot!" Without a warning, the town's hero was moving again, easily dodging the next attack. The line of fire moved toward them as the ghost swivelled its head.
Looking back over his shoulder, Phantom cursed as he saw the ghostly fire coming toward them. "Hold on!" Coming to a short stop, the halfa flipped over the incoming inferno, the heat tickling his companion's back. The boy shot out his hand and the temperature dropped, ice forming over the dragon's mouth. The ghost thrashed and clawed at the mask. Landing on the ground, Phantom held his hand out toward the remaining fire. The flames froze at his command, looking like some bizarre ice sculpture.
"Okay, one catastrophe avoided. One more to go." Helping the redhead off his back he glanced at her and motioned for her to run. "Get out of here!" Nodding numbly, she turned and raced toward the door. Mr. Poluka waited until she was through before nodding his thanks to the ghost boy. The teacher and student raced down the hallway and out of sight.
Without anyone else to worry about, Danny Phantom turned to face the dragon ghost, smirk on his face. "Why don't we call it quits Aragon? We both know how this is going to end." The prince seemed not to listen as he thrashed his head in an attempt to shake off the ice. Angry red eyes focused on the teenager. Fire licked the inside of the creature's mouth and the ice melted away. With a mighty roar, Aragon leapt at the halfa
....and was slammed into the wall. Blinking, Danny heard an ecto-gun recharge and turned. A slight grin spread over his features. "What took you so long?"
"Shut it Phantom. Tetslaff refused to let me out." The red and black clad ghost hunter looked pointedly at the dragon. "And if you were here so early, why haven't you finished him off yet? Did your trip to Europe make you soft?" Shaking his head and chuckling to himself, the halfa floated over to the African American girl.
"For your information, I had to save someone and stop an explosion. I'm sorry I can't multitask." A grin threatened to pull at his lips, his tone playful. "Nice to see you haven't changed since I was gone Val." The girl snorted.
"We'll talk about why you didn't tell me you were back later. Right now, let's get rid of this overgrown lizard." Her visored vision swung back over to where she had shot the ghost, the beast picking itself out of the rubble it had caused. Danny could almost see the wicked smirk on her face. Rolling his eyes, he lowered himself into a defensive position. Some things never changed. He was just glad that he wasn't her main target anymore.
"Any plans?"
"We go in a fry his butt?" The blunt remark made the ghost boy chuckle. Yeah. Some things never changed.
"After you."
"As it should be." Her large ecto-gun whizzed to life and the end of the barrel began to glow. "Say goodbye creep." The weapon discharged and she was forced backward from the recoil. With a battle cry, Danny shot after the blast. The shot hit the ghost head on and the area was covered in smoke. Racing into the aftermath, the halfa felt his hands be covered by ectoplasmic energy. Finding the giant form of Aragon, he shot the energy at the ghost, feeling the slight, almost insignificant, drain of his energy as the blasts left his fingertips.
Aragon roared in pain as he was bombarded from both sides. Flexing his wings, the ghost turned intangible and flew through the ceiling. Valerie had already created her temporary intangible hole through the ceiling and was giving chase. Phasing through the roof, the ghost boy shot another pair of ectoplasmic energy blasts at the beast. A weapon discharged and the prince screamed. Floundering in the air, the dragon tried to stabilize himself. Another shot from the girl ghost hunter knocked the creature out of the air.
The ground shook as the ghost landed. Flying down to stand before his opponent, Danny looked at the fallen prince. Green blood poured over black scales from deep wounds and collected on the ground. The white-haired ghost frowned. Since when was Aragon willing to go this far in a fight? Usually, if there was any chance that he could get seriously hurt, the prince was no where to be found. What was so important that he'd be willing to risk his existence? "What do you want Aragon?" Once again, the dragon didn't answer, just glared angrily at him with blood red eyes. Struggling to its feet, the ghost opened it maw, flames streaming toward the halfa. Yelping in surprise, the ghost boy jumped into the air.
The flames followed him, licking at his feet. Extending his arms, Danny watched as ectoplasm formed a cocoon around him. The fire molded around the shield for the second time today. Dropping the shield, the teen shot into the air, pulling out all of his aerial tricks. Valerie shouldered one of her larger weapons and aimed her crosshairs at the dragon. The blast hit the ghost and the trailing fire stopped. Grabbing his chance, Danny slammed his hands together, building a condensed ball of energy between his hands. Tossing it at the prince, it detonated, creating a cloud around the ghost.
The wind dissipated the smoke faster that it had inside and the humanoid form of the prince came into view. Blood covered his clothing. Danny flinched as a pang of quilt clenched his heart. He hadn't meant to go that far. "Yikes. Is this guy impervious to pain or something? He shouldn't have been able to move let alone fight with those injuries." The halfa shook his at his friend's question.
"That's what I don't get. Aragon isn't a fighter. I can't figure out what would possess him to do this. Why attack the chem lab?" A frowned pulled at the boy's eyebrows as he landed near unconscious prince. "Do you have a thermos or something. We should get him back to the Ghost Zone." The Red Hunter nodded and began to rummage through her pack.
"Ah!" Head snapping up, Valerie gapped as Danny stumbled backward, holding his face. The supposedly unconscious prince was barely standing, his red eyes focused only on the ghost boy. Pulling his hand away from his face, the halfa saw his silver glove covered in green ectoplasm. Valerie gapped, unable to move from surprise. With a feral snarl, the ghost prince leapt at Danny, hands clawing in the air.
Hand flaming with energy, the ghost boy prepared to fire at the attacking ghost. A blue beam shot out, encasing the ghost. With another snarl, the prince turned to glare at Sam. The goth scowled and watched as the prince's form blurred as it was sucked inside the thermos. Quickly placing the cap on it and locking it, the violet eyed girl looked at her friends.
"Anyone want to explain what that was about?"
Hey guys! I'm finally updating! I'm sorry this took so long. Thank you so much for you patience. Also, thanks for the reviews and the favs.
I hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter. It wasn't one of my best fight scenes. They will get better. I promise. Tell me if anyone seems extremely OOC. I haven't seen the show in a while (nickelodeon apprantly wanted to get rid of all of its best shows) so I have to reaquiant myself with the characters. Tell me what you think. Reviews are always appreciated, even if its all just crit.
Thank you again. I hope you enjoyed!