As promised, here is the second chapter, if a little bit late. I apologize for the delay, but I wanted the chance to get a head with my writing and get a few more chapters written so that you wouldn't have to wait so long between updates again. And I've gotten four chapters done and the weekend ahead of me to write more. So mission accomplished.
Author's Note:
Also as promised, this author's note is significantly shorter than my previous one. Just real quick, I'm writing this with the assumption that, timeline wise, it's 2005 in Danny's present, which is the year that The Ultimate Enemy came out. And since this is a story dealing with TUE, I feel like it's not too much of a spoiler to inform you that it deals with time travel. That being said, all years past and present will be based off the idea that 14 year old Danny Fenton is a freshman in high school in the year 2005.
Sorry in advance for any typos. I read and reread the chapters after I've written them, but I always seem to miss some.
Also, kudos to anyone else who gets the joke with the book title Lancer yells to get everyone's attention. Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"The Time Traveler's Wife, people! Listen up!" Mr. Lancer called once again, trying to gain his students attention. He's not terribly surprised when they do little more than blink at him once before turning back to their respective conversations.
It is a Saturday at the park after all. Even he can admit that he wouldn't have been paying much attention had the roles been reversed. Sighing, he tried a different tactic. "You know," He tries again to gain their attention, "The faster we get this done, the faster you can all return to your normal weekend routines."
This manages to catch most everyone's attention. They all turn to look at him, not exactly eager to get started, but definitely eager to get it finished so they can return to their normal routines of movies or shopping or whatever it was the young kids did these days. He doesn't quite have everyone's attention, but he figures this is about as good as it's going to get and he brings his hand down to pat the metal contraption that's sitting at his feet.
"A time capsule." He states simply and winces as one cheerleader actually blows a bubble of gum and pops it loudly. "A way to preserve memories for a future generation or to just remind a person of happy times in their past."
The students are listening, but just barely and the slightly overweight teacher figures it's probably just time to go in for the kill before he loses what little grasp on them that he has.
"As I'm sure you all know, in ten years times you'll be invited back to a reunion at Casper High. And your class is going to have a little extra incentive to return to the place that helped make you who're going to become." He gestures to the time capsule again. "You'll each be putting in the item that I asked you to bring with you today and, when you return for your reunion you'll be able to dig it up and open it. You'll be able to remember the kinds of things you found important today and see how or if they've changed over the course of ten years. Now... Mr. Baxter? Would you be so kind as to start us off?"
Dash stands up and shrugs his shoulders, shrugging out of his letterman jacket as he does so. "Sure thing, Mr. Lancer." The jock walks up to the vice principal and sets his jacket down in the time capsule at the other man's feet. "I'm putting in my letterman jacket because it symbolizes all the best things about high school."
Mr. Lancer nods his head at his student. "It certainly represents something about high school. That's quite a sacrifice you're making Mr. Baxter. And also a genuinely nice one."
The blonde shrugs again. "It's no big. I've got like ten more at home in my closet."
"Well..." Mr. Lancer doesn't quite know how or why the star quarterback got so many different jackets, but he still appreciates that the boy seems to have tried. "It was still a very thoughtful item. Ms Brighton, you're next."
Danny yawns as Dash makes his way back into the crowd and a petite red head hurries up. His eyes slip all the way shut, enjoying the way the sun shines pleasantly down on him. It's one of those rare Saturdays where no ghosts have decided to attack (yet, at least) and they'd all been pleasantly absent the night before as well. It's almost relaxing.
At least, it is until a sharp jab in his side brings him out of his peaceful moment. He cracks open one eye to find one of his best friends mock glaring at him. "Pay attention!" Sam hisses.
"Aw come on, Sam." He pokes the Goth girl back, laughing as she squirms slightly. He's the only person in the world who knows that she's ticklish and even though he's been sworn to secrecy, he still uses it to his advantage from time to time.
After all, he grins as Sam starts laughing too, it's the only way to get the very Gothic Samantha Manson to giggle. And he rather enjoys the sound, rare as it is.
Beside them, Tucker rolls his eyes, never taking them off the game he's playing on his PDA. If they want to be obnoxiously cute in the park, in full view of everyone around them, then that's their choice. But he doesn't want to hear it the next time someone calls them 'lovebirds.' They're practically asking for it at this point.
"Mr. Fenton?" Mr. Lancer's voice breaks the trio out of their respective activities and they all look up to face the teacher. "If you would be so kind as to stop giggling with Ms Mason, it's your turn to add something to the time capsule."
"Sure thing!" Danny stands up, grinning cheerfully as he grabs the green sphere that's lying at his feet and making his way to the front of the group.
Tucker makes note in his PDA that, while Sam is blushing about the giggling comment, Danny is just smiling like this is any other Saturday. Note made, he turns his attention back where Mr. Lancer is wearily eyeing the device in Danny's hands.
"And what, pray tell, is that?"
The black haired boy laughs and holds the sphere out for the teacher to inspect. "It's called a Ghost Sphere. My parents invented it back when I was in the second grade. It's, um, supposed to catch ghosts in it when you activate it. It's kind of like the original Fenton Thermos."
"The what?" Mr. Lancer doesn't seem any less confused by this explanation.
"Nevermind." Danny's grin widens. "The point is it's supposed to trap ghosts in it for six hours but, uh, Sam and I sort of broke it. Well," he wrinkles his nose, "honestly, it was probably never going to actually work on a ghost anyways, but Sam and I got stuck inside it for like four hours that year."
"And it's important to you why?"
The halfa's smile softens. "Well, before that, Sam and I hated each other. It was kind of an epic thing." A few students in the crowd nod in agreement and chuckle as they recall the less than pleasant (but also highly entertaining) relationship the two raven haired teens had shared in first grade. "But we were stuck together for so long that we just sort of fell into a friendship. And I, uh, was just recently reminded that it was a pretty lucky thing that that happened."
Mr. Lancer looks briefly likes he wants to 'aw' at the idea, as do many of the girls. Sam's face is a bright red though, which Tucker thinks is hilarious so he quickly snaps a picture on his PDA, kind of regretting that he never asked Danny what he was putting in the time capsule before. That little speech would have been perfect.
"That is an excellent item, Mr. Fenton." The older man smiles knowingly at the teen. "I suspect you will be one of the few students who don't find their values have changed much over time. Mr. Foley, you're up next!"
Danny grins at Tucker as the techno geek gets up to add his item to the capsule. They high five over Danny's success as they pass one another and Tucker can't keep the grin off his face as he makes it up front. He digs into one his many cargo pockets and pulls out a PDA. "I'm putting this in here. With the way technology is changing, it'll be nice to see what it was like ten year ago. Because at that point it will be all but obsolete. Plus," he adds as he sees Mr. Lancer's less than convinced expression, "It's been uploading all the major news stories since you gave us the assignment a month ago. And I went back and added the biggest moments of the year so far. So that people in Amity Park of the future will get to see what we considered news worthy. And," He waggles his eyebrows suggestively, "I added my phone number so that all the beautiful ladies of the future can find me."
He hears what he's pretty sure is Sam snorting in mirth at this comment but he just grins. It's not like her thing is any less cheesy.
"Alright, Mr. Foley, I am actually fairly impressed with your logic. Minus the phone number part, of course. Ms Grey?"
Valerie makes her way up the front, ignoring Tucker's glare as he passes her. I'm putting in these." The teen holds up several articles about the town's resident spirit, Danny Phantom. "So that people in the future will know to look out for him. If I don't get to him first." She mutters the last part darkly and mostly to herself.
"I'm sorry, Ms Grey, but what was that?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing." Valerie waves off Mr. Lancer's question. "Just, everyone thinks he's a hero now because of that whole mess with that Ghost King guy." Her face darkens. "But I think they should know the truth."
"Well, ghosts are certainly a prominent part of Amity Park's present. Thank you Ms Grey."
"Perfect." Danny groans, bringing up a hand to rub at his forehead. "Just what I need, something to re-peak people's interest in me."
"Re-peak is not a word." Sam says as she chuckles lightly. "And don't worry. A lot can change in ten years." Her brow furrows in thought. "Well, thirteen technically since we're still in freshman year and all. But the point is: who knows what's in store for us in ten years."
"Besides," Tucker shrugs, joining Sam in trying to cheer their friend up, "you can always just not come back for the reunion."
Danny sighs, trying to get back some of his good mood back from earlier. "You're assuming I can leave this place at all."
"Of course you'll be able to." Sam tells him firmly. "We'll make sure we find a way. All of us." She gestures between herself and Tucker to make sure he knows what she means. They're in this together.
"Thanks." Danny smiles gratefully at Sam before turning that smile to Tucker. "To both of you."
"Ms Manson." Mr. Lancer's call for their friend cuts off whatever reply Tucker was going to give.
Sam makes her way to the time capsule, pulling a small white envelop out of her pocket as she does so. "Here it is." She announces with a flourish, dropping the envelope into the capsule. "It's sort of supposed to work with Tucker's PDA." She admits and Mr. Lancer can just make out to be used with PDA in the girl's scrawl on the front of the envelope. "It's got the password to unlock a video file on the PDA that Danny, Tucker, and I all made. It's just a look at everyday life here in good old Amity Park. Because it might be cool to see just exactly how much it will have changed in ten years, you know?"
Mr. Lancer nods in approval. "Very nice Ms Manson. I'm glad to see you and your friends worked so hard on this assignment.
The Goth teen shrugs nonchalantly, but can't quite keep the pleased grin off her face. "We just wanted to be able to look back on high school and remember what an...interesting experience our first year was."
And with that she strolls confidently back to her friends, not even worried about the boy that Mr. Lancer calls up next. Her two friends both offer her high fives at a job well done and she hooks her arms around both boys' necks as Tucker obliges and snaps a picture with his PDA. "Someday," she moans after they've all untangled from each other, "you guys are going to be too tall for me to do that."
"I think you should still try it though." Tucker laughs as he pictures the scenario. "It'll be hilarious. I bet Danny ends up on the floor."
The halfa shakes his head, but chuckles because, yeah, that's probably exactly what would happen. "I gotta admit," He turns his attention briefly to the front where Mr. Lancer is thanking another student for their contribution before turning back to his best friends. "I'm surprised all of our ideas went over so well."
"I'm not." Sam replies easily. "They were all pretty awesome."
"Especially your movie idea, Sam." Tucker smirks knowingly at the girl but she completely misses it in favor of turning her attention to the front.
"Oh!" She grins almost wickedly. "I want to see what Paulina decided was important enough to place in the time capsule."
The two boys quickly turn their attention to the princess of Casper High as well as she holds out a magazine to their teacher.
"I decided to put in a copy of my favorite magazine in the time capsule!" She says excitedly, adding her item to the large collection already tucked safely inside the metal device. "That way people from the future can see how fashionable we are. Well," She sniffs and no one misses the way her eyes dart to some of the less popular people in the class, "how fashionable some of us are."
Mr. Lancer looks vaguely wants to roll his eyes, but as a teacher he knows that's not an option. Sam, however, has no such restrictions and she rolls her eyes so hard it almost hurts. "Well, can't say I'm surprised."
Tucker rolls his eyes both at Sam and at Paulina's choice, but wisely chooses, like Danny, to remain silent. If they don't take the bait, Sam's likely to let this subject die with little to no chance of a rant about Paulina and her inability to get Sam's shoes wet (or something along those lines). It works and the three friends spend what's left of the assignment in comfortable silence, watching as the few remaining kids in class drop off their respective contributions to the time capsule. They cheer with everyone else when Mr. Lancer finally dismisses them back to their normal weekend routines.
The trio falls easily into step as they make their way to the Nasty Burger. "We'll just grab some quick brain fuel and then head to Sam's to study for the C.A.T." Tucker stretches as they walk, unable to keep the grin off his face at the thought of his favorite double meaty meat McNasty treat.
"The mock C.A.T." Sam corrects. "We won't actually have to take the real one until next year."
"Which is good," Danny adds, "because this test is supposed to have a huge impact on our future. And I'm hoping by then the ghosts will have calmed down a little so I can actually study for it. I don't want to end up working at the Nasty Burger."
"I don't know," Tucker responds thoughtfully, "I wouldn't mind working there. Think of all the free McNasty burgers that is!"
Sam shudders comically at the idea of so much meat and Danny and Tucker both laugh good naturedly at her. "Come guys. Less talking. More walking. Especially if the talking is going to be about meat."
"Ah!" Tucker takes an exaggeratedly large sniff of the burger in his hands. "Hello, beautiful. You are looking especially delicious today."
The three friends are sitting in Sam's basement, study materials spread around them as they dig in to their respective brain fuel.
"That is so gross." Sam says with a shake of her head.
"Hey now!" Tucker pulls the burger close to his chest, ready to defend his favorite meal. "I'll have you know that the McNasty burger is a specialty." A large glob of sauce falls off the burger and onto Tucker's shirt. He grins and uses a finger to swipe the sauce off his shirt and into his mouth. "Did you know that their sauce is a secret recipe? Seriously," he adds at his friends incredulous looks. "No one knows how to make it. It just shows up every time they're about to run out. And if you heat it to extreme temperatures, it explodes!" His hands fly out dramatically, covering his two friends with bits of the special sauce.
"Fascinating." Sam deadpans as she grabs two napkins, handing one to Danny before using the other to clean of her face.
Tucker makes a face at Sam but turns his attention back to his burger. Danny just laughs good naturedly before returning to his meal. His friends are definitely weird, but he wouldn't trade them for the world. Despite how his actions had sometimes made it seem. They all eat in silence for the next several minutes, with the exception of Sam humming in between bites of her spinach salad.
"Okay," Danny swallows the fries he'd been chewing before turning to face Sam. "What are you humming? You hummed it the whole to the Nasty Burger and to your house and I don't recognize it."
"Oh, uh," Sam blushes at having been caught. "It's this song called Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner. It's by a band called Fall Out Boy. They came on my Pandora the other day and I really liked them. It's been stuck in my head ever since."
"So wear my like a locket around your throat," She sings softly, knowing that they'll bug her until they get to hear it, "I'll weigh you down and watch you choke. You look so good in blue."
"That," says Tucker as he takes a sip of his soda. "Is kind of creepy."
"Please." Sam rolls her eyes. "Like that's the weirdest thing about me. I fight ghosts on a regular basis. And I have toaster that floats."
"True." The techno geek concedes. "Still weird though."
Danny laughs. "It's kind of catchy though." He flashes a grin at Sam. "Tell you what, if I ever get the urge to strangle you, I'll sing that to you first."
"Shut up, you idiot." Sam laughs as she picks up a couch pillow and shoves it in Danny's face. "That's what's weird."
Tucker snickers in agreement, but before he can add to the teasing, Sam's TV blares to life and all three teens turn in shock to look at the static playing on the screen. "Uh," Tucker edges away from the TV, "is it supposed to do that?"
"No..." Sam whispers and instinctively Danny steps in front of her, putting himself between the TV and his friend.
"Something tells me this is a ghostly issue rather than a technological one." The halfa states, eyeing the TV suspiciously.
"Very good ghost child."
All three friends jerk in surprise as the empty TV is suddenly home to an elderly ghost they've never seen before. He smirks at them, at Danny really, as the teen is surrounded by two rings of light and changes into his ghostly counterpart.
The ghost clucks his tongue and shakes his head. "So quick to assume I'm here to fight you."
"Well," Danny quips, moving even more fully in front of Sam, "that's usually what ghosts want when they come to bother me."
There's a flash of blue light, causing all three teens to close their eyes. "Maybe I just wanted to play a little game." They look up to find the TV off and whip around to find the ghost now behind them and looking like a small child.
"A game?" Danny scoffs. "No thanks."
"My apologies," the now adult ghost holds up his hand. "That wasn't an invitation." He holds up his staff as well. "It was a demand."
"Okay that's enough-"
"Freeze!" All three teenagers do as their told, Danny with his mouth still open in speech.
He takes a medallion from a pouch at his side before picking up Sam's still frozen form and throwing over his elderly shoulder. He taps his staff against Danny and blue bindings spring up and wrap around the halfa. Then he slips the medallion around the teen's neck and watches as he springs back to life.
"Of your yammering." He freezes, metaphorically this time, as he catches sight of what, or who, exactly the ghost has a hold of. "Put Sam down." He whispers threateningly.
The child ghost, still managing to hold Sam up despite the fact that he's suddenly much smaller than her, shakes his head. "It wouldn't be much of a game if I gave you the prize right away."
Danny struggles against his bonds. "What are you talking about? Who are you?"
"My name is Clockwork and I am the ghost of time." He spreads his arm away from his body so that Danny can see the clock that's centered in his chest. "And I'm talking about the game." He shifts to a young man and jostles Sam, drawing Danny's attention back to her. "It's hide and seek." He explains simply. "Except I'm hiding your friend here and you don't get her back unless you can find her yourself. There is no olly, olly, oxen free in my game."
"Put. Her. Down."
"Oh don't worry." Now an old man again, Clockwork turns and waves his staff to open a swirling blue portal before turning back to the halfa. "I will. Somewhere in your past, your present, or your future. You'll have to figure out where she is for yourself though."
Danny continues to struggle against the bonds holding him to no avail. "You won't get away with this." He promises threateningly.
Clockwork chuckles. "I'm not trying to get away with anything, ghost child. There are some things I need you to take care of for me. The girl is just...insurance."
"I'm not doing anything for you." Danny spits out angrily.
The ghost laughs again and Danny snarls at him. "Don't worry. You'll find that you don't have to do much extra besides play my game. Ah, well, come and find us when you're ready. Turn the dials on the medallion until it shows the year you want and press the button. It will take you where you need to go." He turns to step into the portal before stopping and considering for a moment. "Oh," he turns his head back to face Danny, "And just so there's no confusion, your present would be anything from the beginning of this year up until now." He grins. "Happy hunting."
"Sam!" Danny calls desperately as he watches the ghost carry his best friend through the swirling portal. "No! Sam!"
As soon as the portal disappears, so do the bonds keeping Danny captive and he shoots forward.
"What?" Danny whips around at the sound of Tucker's voice. "Where did that ghost go? And where's Sam?"
"I don't know." Danny admits, his hand coming up to grip the medallion that's around his neck. "But I'm definitely going to find out."
to be continued...
So we've finally gotten into the meat and potatoes of the story. Or at least into the beginnings of it. Next chapter starts the time travel!
Well, feel free to leave a review! I love hearing what you guys think!