Yay finally an update and a shout out to the guest 'azurefirework' because honey I can't respond to you when you're on guest and there was a lot to respond to when it came to that review. xD So in short, I'm totally fine with you doing artwork of this fic and I highly encourage anyone else to do it. (I need a cover for this story anyway) and I will be finishing this story. It's going to remain in the timeline of before and during the area of the show with maybe a little on the backside like after he graduates highschool because I'm writing another fic during that after high school time. But all in all, I hope you guys enjoy what I put forward. I never really know what to put into these chapters xD
On a side note, I wanted to introduce why Ponzi doesn't like Spencer so he is his principal for the eighth grade year as well. (Probably followed the poor kid to highschool to torment him). Next chapter may be a time skip I have no idea at this point. If you've got any ideas, toss them forward, I need them.
Disclaimer: I do not own Dude That's my Ghost and if I did, Ectofeature would be blaringly canon so yeah. Disclaimed.
Billy and Spencer had decided not to inform the rest of the Wrights of Billy's presence for the sake of keeping things simple. Introducing the Wright family to a ghost could go all kinds of bad within a matter of moments.
But that didn't exclude Shanilla and Rajeev. Spencer knew that it'd be a long shot, and hoped that they would accept him with the thought of a 'ghost' but if he just handed them over some of Billy's clothes, maybe they'd accept it if they saw him first before explanations.
So, Spencer called up his friends and talked about meeting up at his house. No one else was home but his sister, who was busy stuffing her face with protein shakes and beating up dummies in her bedroom to mimic the karate moves she saw in movies.
Billy and Spencer were waiting out in the backyard when Shanilla and Rajeev showed up, enjoying themselves in the warm, crisp spring air.
Both of them were slightly confused when they saw the multitudes of empty and full peanut butter jars, considering Spencer had warned them about being haunted by the nutty paste. Was Spencer finally losing it? They had no clue.
"Hey guys!" Spencer greeted, waving to his friends and holding two wrapped gifts. "I've got something for you!" He said, smile beaming and looking actually rather creepy to the siblings, considering it was almost too nice, like he was pushing it.
Rajeev shrugged it off, grinning like a greedy idiot as he went to grab for the presents but Shanilla quickly smacked him on the back of the head. "Be polite! We just met Spencer and he's giving us gifts, so please, show a little respect." She scolded, turning back to Spencer with a kind smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw a floating jar of peanut butter.
"I'm sorry Spencer, he's just so rude." She smiled nervously, a slight embarrassed blush on her cheeks from her brother's insolent attitude. Spencer shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it." He said, waving a hand and giving them both their respective gifts.
Rajeev was quick to unwrap it, without one word of thanks while his sister quietly thanked Spencer and shot her brother a dirty look. Spencer was too happy to feel offended, and he'd already gathered that it was simply Rajeev's personality to forget normal social protocols.
Either way, Rajeev had torn open the present in all of two seconds and was holding the belt in his hands with a slightly confused look. "I found it in some of Billy's old stuff. I thought it was your style." Spencer defended before Rajeev could say anything remotely offensive.
The boy raised an eyebrow. "Billy? Like, Billy Joe Cobra?" He asked, his sister having already pulled out a watch from her own present as well. Spencer nodded, turning towards Shanilla. "They're both from some of Billy's stuff." He explained, glancing behind him as the real Billy came floating into picture. He'd gotten a bag of Cheetos in the time that Rajeev went to tear open his present.
Soon the two of them would spot the ghost, and either freak out and run away, or start asking questions.
"Well, it works for me." Rajeev shrugged, quickly looping the belt through his pants over the already present belt he was wearing when he arrived. Spencer tried not to question it.
At the same time, Shanilla thanked Spencer again and wrapped the watch around her wrist. Just as she strapped it on, she looked up just in time to see the blue, floating wonder that was Billy.
"Oh my god." She whispered, backing up a step as she stared at the highly recognizable ghost of Billy Joe Cobra. Rajeev looked up from the belt, giving his sister a confused look. "What?" He asked, but only just in time to see Billy himself.
Meanwhile, the world renowned pop star ignored them. "Hey Spence, we're running out of Doritos and you know how much that can upset me, bro." The ghost said, leaning towards Spencer who was only giving him a slightly annoyed look.
"Look, Billy, I'm not going to be your butler of the afterlife. I thought we settled this." Spencer replied just as coolly, crossing his arms over his chest and giving Billy a curt glare.
Both Rajeev and Shanilla were mind blown. Not only was Billy's ghost floating around, but he and Spencer seemed to be quite familiar with each other. "Uh, Spencer…what's going on?" Shanilla asked, being the first of the two to finally get her voice back.
Spencer glanced towards them and realized the issue. "Well, first off, this is the real Billy Joe Cobra. He's a ghost. Second, anyone wearing his stuff can see him. I figured this out yesterday." He explained, gesturing towards Billy with a smile.
Billy looked towards Spencer's friends with his own goofy grin. "Yup! I've been chillin' in the afterlife here, following this Brorito around for a while too." Billy admitted, tossing the bag of Cheetos behind him into the pile of empty peanut butter jars.
He threw his hand forward for a handshake, causing both Rajeev and Shanilla to jump in their shoes slightly. Rajeev was the first to come forward, a wide smile now plastered on his face. "Wow, it's awesome to meet you, Billy!" He said like any other fan and you could tell by the look in Billy's eyes that he was enjoying the adoration. What egotistical pop star wouldn't?
Shanilla butted her brother out of the way with her elbow, also smiling at Billy. "I'm sorry he's so rude, I'm Shanilla." She greeted warmly and Billy nodded his head. "I know. I've been hanging around you guys since that Brochacho met you. It's cool to finally talk though." Billy replied, shaking her hand as well.
Spencer stood back and watched as the three acquainted themselves with each other. "Well, I guess with that out of the way, we can go hang out inside now." Spencer smiled, glad to have his group of friends now fully complete, including Billy. Life wouldn't seem the same without Billy being directly involved.
-o-
Later that evening, Billy and Spencer were sitting in Spencer's room, previously Billy's room, playing videogames together. It was oddly quiet and it had been the last night before Spencer started school the following day. Needless to say, the boy wasn't happy about it.
He was excited to meet more people and to take better classes and attend a less average school but all around, school was still school and that was the issue.
"You looking forward to some learning, browser?" Billy asked from beside him. The pop star was genuinely interested in public learning, considering he hadn't really attended the rest of high school after the record company picked him up.
Spencer shrugged. "I'll get to learn some cooler stuff at this school, but something tells me the kids won't be as nice." He replied and Billy gave him an interested look. Did Spencer always have problems with friends, or was he always that shy?
"Don't worry little bro-peep, I'll be there to keep you company even when Jeev and 'Nilla can't." Billy said reassuringly in response, and Spencer grinned. He was amused by the nicknames but the statement was also true. Billy couldn't get sick and didn't have anywhere to go on vacation, so Spencer wouldn't ever really be alone. He'd always have Billy.
That was definitely something to look forward to.
-o-
The next morning Spencer was being ushered out the door with little to no grace as his mother drove him to school awfully early, so they could go meet with the principal and get Spencer set up for class. It was going to be very interesting for Spencer, and he knew it.
Billy was there floating along behind him from the start, saying reassuring things and patting Spencer on the back more than once when the kid looked like he was about to vomit. Spencer had heard what being a transfer student was like, and he didn't want to think about it. Plus everyone would already know each other, and while Shanilla and Rajeev were there, that didn't make it any easier.
Spencer really didn't want to think about what could happen in the spans of the few months of school he had left.
Needless to say, Spencer was in a panic and there was nothing anyone could really do. Billy tried his best to keep his spirits up, but still, that never worked out too well.
Eventually, the three of them-or two, if you didn't count dead pop stars-appeared at the school. It was much more lavish than other middle schools that Spencer had seen, especially his previous one. But after passing by the high school he'd be attending last year, nothing could really compare to his educational future.
The middle school had a lot of similarities to the Beverly Heights High school, but it didn't share the same college-campus feel with the large dome arena and main building that towered at least four stories high.
Instead the building was a little more humble. The gym building still looked large and there was a fountain in the main plaza, but it only reached two floors not including a basement. At least getting lost wouldn't be too much of a problem as it would be in high school.
Overall, he liked it, but the place was highly intimidating compared to other schools.
Jane eventually parked the car out front in the visitors' parking lot and helped Spencer gather his things to take inside. He'd have to set up his own locker that morning, and hopefully it wouldn't take too long. At least if he forgot his locker combination, Billy could pull some sort of ghost moves to help him out.
Their first stop was not the eighth grade locker area, but instead the main office. Jane Wright seemed perfectly normal in the area, adjusting to the school's prestige quite nicely but Spencer still felt out of place. He hung onto his backpack, hugging it to his chest rather than strapping it on his back and followed as Jane was led to the principal's office.
Spencer watched with meek interest as his mother stepped into the office, and then she beckoned him inside. He took the time to glance up at the name plate on the doorway that read Ponzi.
Once inside, Spencer had time to register the odd looks his mother and the principal were giving each other. They seemed like they'd already met once before. Maybe they attended high school together or something? Spencer couldn't be sure, but he didn't like the notion of them being friendly.
"Miss Wright, I wasn't aware it would be your son attending the school." Mr. Ponzi said first, looking thoroughly displeased as he glanced down at Spencer for a split second before returning his gaze to Jane Wright.
Jane smiled. "I hadn't thought you'd be my son's principal either, Mr. Ponzi." She responded quite coolly, despite the male's obvious growing disdain. Spencer made a mental note to ask his mom about this guy later and sent Billy a worried glance as the ghost floated over to Ponzi and stared at him while in contemplation.
"Spence, I think he's wearing a toupee!" Billy finally exclaimed halfway through Ponzi and Jane's conversation, which Spencer had officially tuned out of by that point, nothing more than a grumpy principal and a mother who did not give a crap about it.
Spencer let out a short laugh, holding it back as best he could by slamming his hand over his mouth. Jane didn't think anything of it, but Ponzi found it extremely odd and offensive. "Do you think bullying is funny, Mr. Wright? Is the punishment of detention for such an offense amusing to you?" He asked incredulously and Spencer realized he probably shouldn't have toned out.
Sheepishly, he shook his head and shot Billy a warning look. Billy only floated ambiguously behind Ponzi with a guilty look on his face that said "I'm sorry but I had to". Of course, he knew that Billy wouldn't be completely sorry for that.
Ponzi kept giving Spencer an angry look until Jane decided to change the subject. "Well, school will be starting soon and I'd like Spencer to get to his first class on time. Thank you for your help and kindness, Mr. Ponzi." Jane smiled before ushering Spencer out the door once more.
Once they collected the paperwork, Spencer would need to get around and be admitted to classes. Jane led Spencer back into the main hallway where students were piling into the school. Spencer spotted Shanilla and Rajeev on their way in and instantly he knew he'd need their help, but first he had a question.
"Hey, mom? Why did it seem like you and Ponzi met before?" Spencer asked curiously. Billy stopped his fiddling around and floated back towards the two of them just as Spencer asked it.
Jane smiled and put a hand on her son's shoulder. "Ponzi and I were at the same high school. He asked me out to Prom, but your father had already asked so I had to decline." She explained before leaning down and kissing Spencer on the forehead. The boy flailed a little at the intrusion, but handled it well anyway. "Mooom…" Spencer moaned, and hoped no one saw it.
"Alright, have a fun day at school, honey!" Jane exclaimed before walking out of the school. At the same time, both Shanilla and Rajeev spotted Billy and Spencer and came running over.
"Spencer! Hey buddy!" Rajeev greeted, waving. Shanilla smiled, and gave Spencer a curt hug. "Hello, Spencer, Billy."
Spencer nodded back and Billy shot them a thumbs up. "Hey little bros, guess what news we just got dumped with?" Billy responded, landing on the ground, just to show how much he towered over the others. They were middle schoolers and the closest to his height was Rajeev, which was probably a foot off if you did the numbers.
"What'd you find out?" Shanilla questioned, an obvious interest laced in her tone as she turned towards Spencer.
"This brofessor's mom almost went to prom with the Ponz-man." Billy replied, patting Spencer on the back when he referenced his mom. Spencer frowned and shook his head, mostly because he didn't want everyone to know so at least Billy was the one saying it so not everyone could hear.
Rajeev and Shanilla's eyes widened. "Wow, she really dodged a bullet there." Rajeev said, shaking his head. Spencer sent him a short glare. "No, instead she went with my dad, so let's stop talking about my possible father." Spencer said with a shiver of disgust.
Everyone in the group went silent, well, that is, except Billy.
"Hey, brotaco, don't sweat it. Your mom wouldn't have fallen for a tool bag like that." He said reassuringly, but something told Spencer that still could have been possible. "Now let's go find your locker!" Billy said excitedly, floating off in the direction of what he guessed to be eighth graders.
Spencer and Shanilla only rolled their eyes as Rajeev made a whooping sound and ran after.
Please leave reviews, I love and adore them and they keep me going when it comes to writing this fic and others. I love this fanbase over here. Also, any ideas for future chapters PLEASE SEND THEM I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM DOING OVER HERE. THIS FIC IS PRETTY DEAD WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE IDEAS. Headcanons for the show explaining little things and such are super welcome, I'll include them the best I can because that's what this fic is, headcanons. :)
Also, a friendly reminder, if you guys are on guest and you're asking questions, I can't exactly respond until the update so if you're on tumblr, feel free to shoot me a question or a comment or whatever it is you'd like. My url is r2mich2 :D