Being the son of two ghost hunters, most people would assume that Danny knew a lot about ghosts. But Danny found it hard to believe when he wasn't even sure that his parents knew all that much about ghosts.
Danny had long since learned that his parents, no matter what they claimed, were not experts on the subject. So when those who had come across the ghost known as 'Phantom' claimed him to be much warmer than they expected a ghost to be, and his parents had said it was more than likely that ghosts didn't actually have a temperature and the surprise was due to the lack of cold, Danny kept an open mind about it.
Sure, he was proud of his parents for accepting other theories on ghosts instead of trying to fit them into everything they expected ghosts to be, but Danny didn't appreciate the theoretical side of science as much as his parents did. He preferred evidence and understanding over the endless theories based on hearsay.
So, he saved his opinions on whether or not Phantom had a temperature until he could actually meet the ghost. He just wasn't expecting to get the chance.
Despite the endless chatter about the elusive ghost, very few had really seen him, so Danny's first encounter with him was a bit of a shock to the boy.
Firstly, that was due to the circumstances surrounding their meeting involving a ghost dragon, something Danny had never seen or even thought possible before. He didn't get the chance to wonder how a ghost could be a dragon before its tail was striking the ground near where he stood. He would have been crushed by it if he weren't saved by a blur of black and white.
At first, he thought someone had pushed him out of the way, but the arms under his back and knees along with the pressure on his side let him know he had been picked up and carried. Judging from the speed the wind was hitting him from the other side, whoever was holding him was not human.
As the ghost slowed, Danny chanced a glance upwards, breath hitching as he recognised the few features everyone could agree described Phantom. Which weren't all that much to go off of anyway, since the insides of his hood were just pure shadow.
The next thing he registered reminded him of the rumours of warmth, because now he was feeling it for himself. Danny placed a hand over the ghost's chest, as he looked for a safe place to put him presumably, and focused on the warmth he generated. He almost felt human at the touch, and for a moment, it felt like the steady pulse under the skin was more of a thumping than a thrumming.
Phantom must have noticed Danny's interest, because he pulled him away from his chest and set him down on the nearest safe patch of ground, flying off before Danny could even thank him.
Danny frowned after the ghost, noting the odd reaction. So not only did Phantom have a temperature similar to a human's, he was apparently conscious of it and didn't want people paying attention to it. Either that or he was trying to hide the beating heart in his chest.
The frown turned into a smile, as even though this brought up more questions, it did answer why Phantom tried to avoid people.
A ghost with a human heart wasn't exactly normal, after all.
I have no idea where I was going with this. I wasn't expecting him to have a heart, but okay, I'll roll with it.