Learning about ghosts is very important, after all.

Warnings for : mentions of knives being used as weapons, Spectra and emotional manipulation, and a small bit of ectoplasmic blood

Chapter Eleven – Lesson One

::

"Since you two should know the basics of hunting by now, today you'll be learning about ghostly horticulture." This was torture. If Danny had to ever describe what torture was, he would look back to this as a prime example. "Eyes front, young man! You may think this is foolish, but a lot of these plants are powerful against ghosts!"

"Yeah, like these babies!" Jack Fenton grinned widely as he held up a few dimly glowing flowers that looked more suited to a gothic bookstore, rather than a scientist's lab. "My ancestors used these to fight ghosts all the time! Called 'em Blood Blossoms!"

"Wow, Dad. Sounds amazing," Jazz drawled, sitting protectively in front of Danny, glaring at each adult if they dared stepped too close. Danny was rather thankful for the sisterly protection, since it meant those flowers were kept as far away from him as possible. "Hey, you know what, let me see those for a second? Please?"

"Aw, sure Jazzy pants!" Jazz smiled and hopped up, twirling the flowers in her hand as she observed them. "Think of it like the specter deflector, only edible!" Danny watched in morbid curiosity as his sister continued to observe the flowers, asking questions that he never would have thought of, such as how they were neutralized.

"Well, eating them, for one thing," Maddie smiled in wry amusement. "Fire has also been known to destroy them and their properties, which is why they often don't work on ghosts with command over fire."

"Makes sense," Jazz nodded, stumbling in her steps and losing her grip on the flowers, which tumbled right into a bunsen burner that had been left on. Gasping, her hands went to her mouth in horror. "Oh, no, guys, I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and-" Her mother's disappointed sigh cut her off.

"It's fine, Jasmine. We'll have to find more later...hopefully soon. Go ahead and sit back down next to your brother." Danny had to bite his lip at seeing the satisfied smile Jazz had on as she walked back to her seat, fist bumping him before sitting down. "Blood blossoms can also fatally wound a ghost if they're ingested, although we're not sure to what degree. Yet." And didn't that just sound promising.

"We were going to show you just what they could do to a ghost, but now I guess we can't," Jack whined, pout on his face, Jazz rolling her eyes and Danny feeling a dull pulse of worry.

"Um, Dad? What ghost were you going to use it on?"

"This one right here!" From under the counter, Jack pulled out a glowing green plastic crate, an obvious clue to the anti-ghost properties, that held a confused and worried ghost puppy. A very familiar ghost puppy. "Caught him sniffing around the lab this morning! Thought it would make a good lesson for you kids!"

They...had Cujo. An innocent ghost pup who only liked to run around and play, his ghost dog. They had his friend locked up and whining and sad and they had been about to torture him for a lesson and if they truly thought they could just torture ghosts "Ow!" Danny glared over at his sister, who had harshly elbowed him in the side. "What?"

"I know you're angry, but having your eyes start glowing and going green really is not going to help things," Jazz whispered, Danny blinking in surprise. His eyes...had been glowing green? He was used to small things happening when he was angry, but he had thought he had gained better control than that. "Don't worry, Danny, we'll get him out of there."

"As a low level animal ghost, we figured this one would be a good example of just how powerful blood blossoms are. I suppose we can show you the properties of another one… Not as powerful, but it's a good anti deterrent. Think of it like...a shield, almost." As Maddie spoke, she formed a circle out of warm pink flowers that brightly glowed, taking Cujo's container and letting him tumble out into the middle. "Ghosts can't touch the flowers, if they do, well…"

They watched as the small ghost puppy curiously sniffed one of the flowers, yelping at the shock to his nose and skittering away back to the middle. Danny was thankful that Jazz was there to keep him seated, otherwise the lab might have been trashed all over again. "Effective, but not long lasting. The properties drain themselves out as time goes by."

"Hey, uh, Mom...do you really have to test this stuff out on this one? I mean...he's just a puppy." Maddie sighed, upset with her son's behavior. Why couldn't she make him understand?

"Danny, I know how you are about animals and puppies, but this is a ghost. A deadly creature who will not hesitate to try and kill you. We already know this one can shift into another, larger form. One that is quite deadly." Danny only gestured to the puppy, who was curled into a small ball and giving the most pathetic look possible. "Deadly."

"Well, I mean-" Danny winced at the jab to his side, huffing at Jazz's look. Right. Bad time for puns. "I still think that there are ghosts out there who are actually, well, good. I mean, if they were once living, they were once human, right? They have the capability to be good or bad, just like we do. Humans kill each other all the time, and you don't see us blaming the entire race."

"Danny, one day, when you're older, you'll understand why we do this." Danny and Jazz rolled their eyes at the same time. Right. Older. Not like they knew anything about ghosts. "Now, we do have other plants that, while not as harmful as the blood blossom, still can be improvised as weapons-"

"Oh! Look! The thing! I have to- To go!" Jack and Maddie watched in surprise as Danny suddenly jumped up, looking as if he had been shocked. "Phone- Sam and Tuck- The thing- I told you about the thing, right? Of course I did! Jazz?! You know about the thing?!"

"Oh, right! That all night study party you and your friends have planned, to help raise your grades just before finals!" Ancients bless his wonderful sister. "I mean, you can't miss that! Go on and have fun studying!"

"Bye, love you, have fun!" Jazz waved before turning back and giving her parents as polite a smile as she could, mentally counting down how long it would take before Phantom arrived. She was happy to hear the front door close, a good way to cover his tracks.

In seconds the ghost alarms were blaring, Jack and Maddie heading for the weapons vault as Jazz ran over and broke the flower circle around Cujo, giving a small chuckle as he happily jumped into her arms. "Alright, Cujo, Danny will be here in a second, just go wait by the portal, okay?" The puppy nodded and barked, jumping out of her arms and running to the portal doors. It was only a few seconds until they started opening. "Oh no! Phantom must have done something to open the portal!"

Her parents were already running up the steps, weapons in hand as they knocked over the table of flowers they had been showing them, Jazz rolling her eyes.

"So, that was rather easy." Jazz laughed as her brother floated around her head, looking towards the weapon vault and grinning rather wickedly. "Still have those ecto bombs?"

"Of course." Digging one out from her purse, Jazz tossed it to Danny, who activated it and tossed it into the vault, slamming the door closed. One small explosion later, and they were both grinning. "Cujo's back in the Zone. By the way, why are you wearing a hat?"

"Maroon, Jazz," Danny whined, tugging the black skull cap even further over his head. "Ugly, ugly maroon. It's just...just…" Jazz watched her brother in worry as his eyes almost seemed to glaze over, body dropping a few inches out of the air. "What...is that smell…"

"Uh...what smell?" Jazz silently cursed as her brother headed towards the table of overturned flowers, quickly tugging him away before he could get himself hurt. "Danny? What's wrong?"

"Ssmmeelll." Oh, damn. He was acting like he did when he was five and high on sugar. Sighing, and tugging her brother away from the flowers some more, she looked for any notes lying around. "Pretty pretty pretty. Ink and parchment and warm fireplaces~"

"You're starting to worry me, little brother." Seeing a piece of paper, one of the ones that had been knocked to the floor, she quickly grabbed it and started reading. "Ghost nip? Ghosts smell what they love most and are put into a lethargic state of bliss- Ink and parchment, huh?" Oh, she was never letting this go. "Come on, Danny, let's get you into the Zone until this wears off."

"But- But!" Danny didn't get to complain further as he disappeared through the portal, laughing as he was quickly tackled by a happy green ghost puppy once on the other side. "Heya, Cujo!" Still feeling lethargic and happy, Danny hummed as he hugged the ghost close to him, looking around the area. "Hmm...what do you say we go find GW? I really, really, really want to see him."

He took the bark as a positive answer.

::

"Hm, only a few new books this time, huh, Mandy?"

"Oh, fuck you too, Ghostwriter!" Andrew laughed at the irritated ghost who was part of the Gypsy Ghost Market. It was the first time they had been back in quite a while, and he couldn't help but have a little fun. "Getting books from the human world isn't as easy as you would think!"

"Try visiting Amity Park more." Pausing at the overwhelming sense of dread that filled him, Andrew nervously looked around him, shoulders hunched in worry.

"Wow, never seen you this jumpy? What's up?" Andrew would have liked to believe that he didn't flinch at the arm that slung itself around his shoulder. He was probably wrong, but still. "Actually, we almost never see you."

"I do leave my lair on occasion," the book ghost huffed, slipping out of an amused Johnny's hold. As soon as he got a foot away, the feeling of dread and worry came back stronger than ever. "Oh no…" His words were too late in coming, as a second later he was tackled to the ground.

"Wow, nice tackle, lil cuz. Ten out of ten," Johnny laughed, Kitty only shaking her head as she watched the Ghostwriter groan and pull himself up, with the added addition of a half ghost wrapped around him. "Aw, he missed you, bookworm."

"I will feel no hesitation in returning your sorry form to the void," Andrew growled, frowning as he noticed his bag had been knocked off of him. Looking for it, he raised an eyebrow at seeing Cujo was happily offering it to him, strap in his mouth. "...I...I have no words."

"Ooo, the clever sarcastic book ghost without words, that's a new one," Mandy laughed, leaning over their stall to see the ghost that was making the other's life an unliving hell. "Isn't that the Phantom kid?"

"Yeah, GW here has a soft spot for him," Johnny snickered, not too worried about the glare shot his way. "Go on, try to tell me I'm wrong. You'd do anything for the kid." Andrew opened his mouth to protest, only for his words to die off into a sigh as Danny snuggled closer to him, smile on his face. "See."

"Oh, shut up." Wow. Mature, Andrew. Mature. He needed to stop spending so much time around Danny, who, speaking of, seemed to be acting...off. "Danny? Are you alright?" The answer came in a stream of indecipherable ghost speak and Latin. "I'll take that as a negative, then."

"Whoa, his pupils are totally blown," Kitty lowly whistled, tilting Danny's head to where they could see his eyes better, which were all black except for a ring of green. "What the hell have you been getting into?"

"Stuff. Smelly stuff. Nice smelly stuff. Stuff stuff stuff." Danny giggled, rings wrapping around him and turning him back into his human from, the teen landing on the large rock where various stalls were set up. "Stuff stuff stuff so nice stuff~"

"Huh...didn't take him the type to do pot," Johnny hummed, wincing at the hit to the back of his head. "Well, what else do you think it could be?!" As if on cue, a cute and catchy jingle started ringing, Danny digging his phone out and looking at it in confusion, finally handing it over to Andrew, who sighed and answered.

"Hello- Oh, hello, Jasmine. Yes, he's here- Really? Getting worse, then… Hm? Ghost- Oh! Yes, unfortunately. Mhm. Yes, yes, don't worry, I'll look after him. Mhm, yes- Do stop worrying, he'll be fine here." Rolling his eyes, Andrew handed the phone back to Danny. "Your sister."

"Hi, hi!" Danny hummed happily, nodding his head as he listened to his sister. "Kay. Kay. Kay. Okay. No fighting and sleep only counts if it's more than four hours. Kay. Bye bye, mhm, love you too, Jazzy!" Hanging up, Danny slipped the phone back into his jeans, bouncing over to wrap himself around Andrew again, who now looked amused instead of worried.

"Ghost nip." At the words, Johnny and Kitty both laughed. "Apparently his parents managed to get their hands on some, which lead to this small incident."

"Ghost nip, huh? That's adorable!" This was just not Andrew's day. Skulker and Ember had appeared while he wasn't paying attention, Ember looking gleeful at the giggling human. "Ooh, let me try something!" Clearing her throat, the ghost immediately started whistling a clear and cheerful tune, Danny picking it up a few seconds later and whistling back just as well. "Adorable."

This was going to be a long day, he could feel it. "Is it too late to wash my hands of his mess and pretend I never met any of you?"

"Yup! Far too late," Johnny snickered, throwing his arm around Andrew again. "Besides, lil cuz would be broken up if you started ignoring him. He talks about you non stop." At the startled look, Johnny grinned even wider. Oh, this was great. "Yup! It was bad enough when he kept ranting about his family going crazy, now he just talks about you like you asked him out to prom or something."

"Such a descriptive turn of phrase, truly, you are a master of words," Andrew muttered, thinking that his sarcasm had rather been ruined by the fact Danny was now using him as a shield.

"Oo, hiding behind someone else. That's a new one."

"Don't you lot have anything better to do besides bother me?" Spectra had appeared now, grinning down at him and Danny in delight. While the ghost had never been one of his favorites, now he was feeling unnerved at her presence. To see her often ended badly. "Honestly, gossip hounds, the lot of you."

"Well, what better gossip than our cute little halfa? It's a shame, though...all this delicious darkness is masked by that stupid scent of the flower. A true shame...especially since it's only been getting worse and worse over the past few months." At that everyone looked to Spectra, who was still grinning in enjoyment as she looked down at a nervous Danny. None of them seemed to notice Andrew tensing, hand slipping into his coat pocket.

"Shame, self hatred, self loathing, a sense that nothing he ever does is right...that constant thought to climb a building just a bit too high...and let gravity do it's work-"

"Say one more word. I dare you."

"Oo, touch a nerve?" Spectra grinned at the knife that was pressed to her throat, Andrew glaring at her with bright red eyes, lips pulled back into a snarl. "Aw, you're no fun, Ghostwriter. What's the matter? Upset that your mate hasn't even realized his feelings yet-" Spectra hissed at the wicked sharp knife that went through her stomach, another knife knocking her back to the ground and pinning her to the ground.

"Keep speaking...and next time I assure you I will not grant you mercy." Spectra glared up at the ghost standing above her, body shifting into shadows as she growled, tearing the curved knife out and throwing it down at the ghost's feet.

"The Priest of Death still alive, then?" She just barely dodged the knife aimed at her core as she vanished, laughing lightly. Andrew cursed, picking his knives up and looking up to see the others staring at him in shock, not sure how to react.

"Oh...just don't." Sighing, he looked around for Danny, who was immediately back at his side and looking at him with stars in his eyes and, wow, no, that wasn't helping him at all right now. "Danny, can you change into your ghost side?" The teen nodded, changing at once and then grabbing the other's hand, looking as happy and pleased as could be. "...We're going to back to Vidya and pretending this day never happened."

As soon as he was gone, the others who were left behind shared a look, Kitty the one to finally speak. "So, we all agree? Keep Danny alive, or face the wrath of a ghost who can rewrite and control reality."

"Yup."

"Agreed."

"I'm all for that."

Kitty only nodded, looking back to where the two had disappeared. She had a feeling that she would need to be hinting to Danny, stubborn as that teen was. As for Ghostwriter, well… She had a feeling she had better be careful what she said around him, when concerning the halfa.

::

Andrew tiredly rubbed his eyes as he collapsed into the nearest couch, watching Danny, still in his ghost half, fly around the library. The teen was still out of his mind, but at least he was being relatively careful. Somewhat. Shaking it off, the ghost glanced down to the knives in his hands, shoulders tensing as he threw them as far away from him as he could.

"The Priest of Death still alive, then?"

"Damn her…" It didn't surprise him that Spectra had somehow found out about his past, although it did surprise him what he had heard about Danny. Surprise and an all consuming anger that had nearly made him… "So much for leaving it all behind…"

"Hey, hey, Andy!" And nope. Right there. That was how Andrew could tell he was doomed, because he wasn't even feeling angry about Danny calling him that name. "Where is everyone? It's rare that we're not getting interrupted by the others."

"...what?" Danny sighed dramatically at the question, sitting down next to Andrew and snuggling up next to him, as if it was second nature.

"I know you have a bad memory, always being lost in a book and such, but I didn't think you'd ever be this bad. The others? I haven't seen them around lately- You don't think anything bad happened, do you?"

"Danny...who are you talking about?" At the startled and concerned look on Danny's face, Andrew grew even more worried. "Are...your eyes blue?"

"Okay, now you're starting to worry me. Andrew, my eyes are always blue, have been ever since, well, yeah." Feeling his cheeks cupped and head tilted to the side, Danny rolled his eyes. "When you're done being paranoid, let me know, mon ange." Almost immediately the other jerked his hands away, Danny giving him a startled look, "Whoa, you okay?"

"You- I-" The ghost's face was a bright flushed color, eyes wide and shocked.

"Wow, haven't seen you blush this much in ages. Kind of forgot how cute you are when you do blush." Andrew only blushed harder, all words lost when Danny laughed and lightly kissed him on the cheek.

"How- Where did you hear- You know French?!" Danny's amused look slowly faded to one of worry, hand moving to cup Andrew's cheek.

"Andrew, are you alright? You don't seem yourself today." Andrew only quickly teleported himself away, looking frazzled, and if his eyes were looking for nearby exits? Well, no one had to know that except the halfa staring at him in shock. "Okay...you're not usually one to teleport- You hate teleporting. What's with you?"

"I- Uh- I think I should be asking that of you." Danny only tilted his head in confusion, eyes flicking up to the ceiling.

"No, Vidya, I don't know what's going on- With either of you! You both sound as panicked as the day I got-" Andrew watched as Danny stopped mid-sentence, eyes flickering back to their usual green as he confusedly looked around the room. "Um...what...am I doing here?"

"Mon cher, there is a limit to how worried you can make someone, and you have me deeply worried." Danny looked to the other in confusion, glancing back down to his hands in confusion. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Oh shit- Did I do another one of those memory wipe rampages?!" At the look on the other's face, Danny looked around the library in fear and worry. "I didn't hurt anyone, did I?! Is Vidya okay?! Did I destroy any books-"

"Danny- Calm down. No, there were no rampages this time." Andrew flew back over, steering the teen towards the couch as he let out a sigh of relief. "Just...you acted as if you were someone else, if I were to explain it."

"Someone else? What do you mean?" Seeing the worried look, Danny felt his heart sink. "I didn't say or do anything bad, did I?"

"No, no, not bad...just strange." Another light blush appeared on the ghost's face, Danny biting his lip to keep his laugh in. He had never seen the ghost blush. It was...rather cute, actually. "As if...I'm not sure how to explain it...as if you knew me longer than you have."

"That does sound pretty weird. And, I mean, the last thing I remember are those ghostly plants- Something about ghost nip- Hey, is Cujo here? Is he okay?" Danny looked over to where the ghost pointed, amused to see Cujo quietly chewing on the strap of a messenger bag. "You know you're not going to get that back, right?"

"I assumed as much." Seeing the teen's troubled look, Andrew sighed and took a seat beside him. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about too much-"

"Why did you get so angry at Spectra?" Danny watched as his friend froze, giving him a guarded look as he thought over what to say.

"You...remember that?"

"It's kind of a blur, to be honest. My mind felt really clouded, like after days of no sleep, you know? I remember Spectra showing up, and you getting angry? Then I remember...being...content...and happy? Then everything sort of snapped back into focus." Well, at least the teen didn't remember anything about the knives, or whatever else he may have heard.

"You make it sound as if you aren't happy now," Andrew mumbled, rubbing at his eyes again. It had been far too long a day for his liking. Distracted by his thoughts as he was, he was surprised when he felt Danny lean against him again, worn and tired expression on his own face.

"I'm getting better…" Andrew would have been lying, if he said his heart hadn't broken at those words. Words that carried a heavy burden, one that the teen did so well to mask from the world at large. Biting his lip, the ghost finally sighed, wrapping an arm around Danny, and tugging him closer. "I think I am, at least…"

"You will...of that I have no doubt."

These two really need to learn that denial doesn't work for long.