Chapter 21: Food for Thought

The group entered the dark room, and flinched as the door closed with a bang. The darkness consumed them, but no one screamed. They seemed to finally realize that screaming did nothing.

No one talked, no one moved. The gentle rhythm of their breathing was the only reminder that everyone was still there, waiting. But for what? They did not know.

3 People in this room were filled with a dark sense of foreboding, half-guessing and half-knowing what was to come, and the feeling of helplessness that they could do nothing to stop it. They couldn't do a thing.

Then Danny Fenton appeared in front of them. Sam cried out, but he stared past her, and she sighed, retreating back into the group. He wasn't real, and she knew that.

For a while the group gazed at Danny. He just looked past them, almost robot-like. But he still looked human. His eyes and face showed emotion.

This was the emotion he showed everyday. He taunted the jocks with it, disappeared in thin air from it, and kept people at arm's length using it.

This Danny Fenton was regular old Danny Fenton. He stood there, arms limp at his sides. His position was relaxed, and he looked timid, afraid, and scrawny. He looked like an invisible dork. Danny's eyes were full of softness, and nobody could say that he didn't look weak.

And then it happened.

A ring of light appeared at his waist. As it moved down, time seemed to slow. His legs were full of strong muscles, his position crouched as the skin-tight hazmat suit appeared.

His arms were also ripped, as was his chest, and he was crouching, his fists already balled up and in the air.

His eyes turned green, strong and full of defiance and determination. His hair turned snow-white, and his aura turned-for lack of a better word and/or pun-ghostly.

And everyone gasped. Some girls screamed. Others looked at him with a dazed expression. Danny Fenton had turned into his complete opposite: Danny Phantom.

"Hiya!" Danny yelled, jumping into battle. And as a strange soft music (that vaguely sounded like a superhero theme song) played, everyone watched as the stories of Danny Phantom told themselves.

(A/N: For the most part, think Memory Blank at the part where he gets his memories back, except for the girls locker room part)

Danny brought Skulker down. The Box Ghost next. Then Technus. The Lunch Lady. Box Ghost. Johnny 13. Box Ghost. Walker. The Box Ghost. Desiree. Misplaced Agression called Box Ghost.

Mr. Lancer paid special attention to one that made his heart clench.

A piece of paper falling. A boy running from a ghost. The boy taking out the ghost. The piece of paper left behind. The boy coming to class late. The boy getting detention and taking it without a word. And when Mr. Lancer asks for his homework, Danny Fenton has nothing.

Mr. Lancer hung his head. He had been cruel. He would have to set things right.

Paulina paid attention to a different one.

A boy asks the girl out. The girl turns him down. The girl gets attacked by a ghost. The boy saves the girl. The girl asks him out. He turns her down. But Danny Fenton would never get the attention Danny Phantom would.

Paulina looked away.

Dash's eyes went wide, along with the other jocks, at another one they vaguely remembered.

A boy brings down a ghost. The boy then goes to the gym lockers, bruised and bloodied, 3 hours later. Another muscled boy shoves him into the lockers and walks away. The boy looks down at his hand with a long cut running up it that the other boy just reopened. The boy furiously takes his fist and slams it into the locker, making a huge noticeable dent. Then the boy relaxes and looks at his hand again. He sighs and takes out a first aid kit. Danny Fenton wouldn't hurt the innocent.

Dash looks down at his shoes.

Valerie bit her lip at another one.

A girl chases a boy. She hurts him badly. The girl gets knocked unconscious by another ghost. The boy grabs her and beats the ghost anyway. He takes her home and bandages up her minor wound. He walks away, and suddenly grabs his arm, hissing in pain. The girl broke it. He looks down at her and shakes his head, smiling pityingly. He walks away. Danny Fenton knows Valerie doesn't mean to.

Valerie gritted her teeth and hugged herself, a single tear running down her cheek.

"I'm a ghost. I'm a human. I'm a half dead freak. And no matter what I do, I always will be. But that doesn't mean I can't use these powers for good." Danny said, looking at his glowing green hand. He suddenly looked at the group, and thrusting his hand, shot the ecto-blast at them. Everyone screamed as they felt themselves being pulled. But they weren't hurt. As they fell into the swirling portal, they heard all the words of change.

"I'm going to turn your whole word against you."

"What are you doing?" "There's all types of prisons kid, I'm making sure your prison is the town that you live 'HELP. HELP ME.' Now they'll never trust you."

"Don't worry, I won't turn into that. Ever. I promise."

"What are you going to do? Waste me? What happens to you then?" "You don't get it do you? I'm still here, I still exist. That means you still turn into me."

"Clockwork? You saved them? I-I-I don't understand." "The observants look at time like they're watching a parade. One thing after another passing by in sequence right in front of them. I look at the parade from above. All the twists and turns it might, or might not take. "You knew all of this was going to happen. All of it! Even this part. " "Everything's the way it's supposed to be. And here we are with you, a fourteen year old child, risking everything to save the people you care about. TIME IN! You've given everyone else in your life a second chance. Why not you?"

"Okay I zip in, get my stuff," "And what? Run away?" "Well what choice do I have? Everyone knows my secret!

"Where are your parents?" "Probably looking for me. Or a scalpel to dissect me with.

"Okay so I changed reality so that only you guys and Jazz know my secret now."

"You're not very good at this are you?" "Yeah? Well maybe I don't have to be to beat you!"

"Well I think that's enough destruction for one day. Ta!" "Oh great! Another ringing endorsement for the town screw-up."

"Great job Fenton. You let him get away you idiot. WHAH!"

"I should've gone intangible! Idiot! I'm not getting better at this, I'm getting worse!"

"Maybe Jazz is right, maybe I am a loser."

"I've figured it out finally. You feed on misery don't you?" "I'm sorry can I help you?" "No, I'm sure you can't. You can't help anyone but yourself. You find that one thing that a kid's most afraid of. Their future, their looks, their confidence. And you pick at it and pick at it, and you're snippy little ghost assistant feeds on it." "HEY!" "Very good. But I'm afraid you missed a few details!"

"Let go of me!" "Why would I do that? You're doubt, you're misery, it's delicious! And the best part is, as soon as that silly speech is over, and the last domino falls, and the sparklers vaporize the speaker, we'll leave you here to take the blame! And by the time I'm done with you, You'll be sure it was all your fault!" "Man, I am so tired of you dumping on me. And I am so tired of dumping on myself. Jazz never did that, even when I was mad at her. And I won't let her DOWN!"

"Look at you. What are you? A ghost trying to fit in with humans? Or some creepy little boy with creepy little powers?" "Both! Neither! I don't know!" "You're a freak! Not a ghost, not a boy! Who cares for a thing like you?"

And as their world spun into black, the students and teacher all silently begged for his forgiveness.

So there it is! I'm sorry this came up so late, but it was so hard to get all the quotes for these episodes. It was like studying for homework! Anyway, I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope you like it! R&R!

Artgirl4