Chapter 6

Danny sat down right next to Valerie. In his hand was a sketch he had been working on for about an hour. She leaned her head against his chest but looked over the image. He was currently focusing on shading the wavy beach. "You know," Danny spoke for a moment before going quiet. "Does it ever feel like this is going to end? I know how it's going to end, I know what we have to do. Between Plasmius, Daniele, Vlad. Wand-wavers, magic. Sometimes I just want to go back to the past." He went silent for a moment, "...I remember. A few short months before Plasmius returned from space. It was like a fever dream. Long-winded and silent. It was in the middle of a warm August day."

The two of them had returned from the Ghost Zone. Not much was needed to be said between them. "Danielle was finally making headway in her fight against that illness. She was finally getting her life back on track. After having it derailed she was starting to be able to do things. That had been stripped of her with the help of experimental medication. Alongside physical therapy she wanted to go swim, so the five of us. Danielle, Allie, Jazz, Sam, and I. What I didn't know was that Sam was pregnant. A bit of irony. In reality, as much as she would deny it Danielle was in it more for herself than she was willing to admit."

"What do you mean pregnant?" Valerie asked, raising an eyebrow. In all her years of slowly unraveling her boyfriend's past. This had to be the most open he had been in years. It was more of a game of listen and observe. "You never told me you two had kids."

"Twins," he replied. "After what Plasmus did to her, the twins were given up for adoption. Afterward, I went into hiding it was the last time Sam and I ever interacted. Both of them were killed in Danielle's rampage. She broke loose from Plasmius prison and destroyed the last of the surviving cities." The mood in the room had grown cold; none of them were willing to talk to the past. "That's not the point. Danielle was getting fidgety. Wanting to catch up on all the things stolen from her. So we went swimming. It was the first time in my life I had ever seen her as happy as that day."

"Happy huh? You know that appears to be a trend in your family," Valrie said with a chuckle. "But no seriously what is with your family always being so depressed? I mean your parents after your last duel with Vlad, Jazz when it comes to Dash. Now Danielle I can understand, but the rest of you? Is this some genetic thing?"

"Who knows. Probably. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if depression ran in my family. And I'm talking about actual depression not ya know." Valrie nodded her head, "Sometimes I just like to enjoy the past. As after we're done with this we're never going to have to worry about Plasmius, Danielle, or Dan. I think it would be nice to see how things turn out. Valrie bit her bottom lip and she wanted to say something, but didn't. Pushing Danny further than he was willing to go was a fruitless effort. So the two of them just went back into the silence. She picked up the book but pushed this into the back of her mind.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Jazz was silently outside the door with a question on her mind. Who the heck was Danielle?

Dimmesdale elementary school was a modestly sized school building. With numbers reaching around 500 or so grade school children enrolled. It was the middle of a weekend which meant the school was empty. Except for the principal and a few other teachers. Though they had a real reason to be here on school premises. After meeting with the school principal they moved through the school hallway. Something was amiss with the school. Though he couldn't put his finger on it had to do with the wand-wavers. "Danny, can you slow down?" Jazz called out to him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Calm down we're going to find Timmy I promise. Though I'm not sure you even remember him."

"Sorry," Danny replied. "Just nothing. So where too?"

"Classroom A113!" His father shouted with a level of excitement. "Now be on guard son. This is an unfamiliar-"

"Don't start," Jazz snapped. "You can deal with your ghostly doohickey things later. Right now we're here to find an innocent ten-year-old. Who we should've been looking for" Danny could only walk past them. It didn't help that his youthful enjoyment had been destroyed after so long. With only the numbers in his head, he walked away with only his thoughts to keep him company. Jazz followed him leaving both of the adults to themselves.

"Do you ever feel like Danny hiding something from us?" Jack asked, "I mean I know that Jazz is worried about her little cousin, but why is Danny? What is he hiding? If we could only get him-"

"Jack shush," Maddie replied. She kissed her husband, "Listen to me. There's something wrong with Danny and I know it. Even Jazz has asked the question numerous times. Focus on Timmy and afterward, we unravel this mystery. Starting with the old man he's got something to do with this." She thought for a moment, "In fact, I suspect he's the main corporate behind Danny's change in behavior..but that's for when we get back to Amity Park."

Jack nodded his head and caught up to Danny and Jazz. Both of them stepped inside the classroom. Which had twenty-two desks, a chalkboard with a teacher's desk right in front. It was almost...and just like that. It turned into a nightmare with a woman standing there. Her foot on a metal ax grinder as sparks were flying as she was sharpening a sword. "What do you want? Don't you know it's Saturday-"

"I'm looking for Timmy Turner," Danny said without any hesitation. The woman paused for a moment and turned towards him. She was at least a full head taller than him. With long white hair and wore purple clothing that made her look gothic. "We're here to pick him up. As apparently he's been on his own for eight months."

"Ah Turner," she gritted her teeth. "I know him, I know him well. Timmy Turner is one of my worst students. Already had to deal with the cops so I know." She placed the sword into the ground, "It's a decoration item." With that, she walked over to her desk and pulled out a giant folder. "I've been collecting information on him for quite some time. After all, he's the reason why I'm in this position. Here you go."

"How is my ten-year-old cousin's response to you becoming a teacher?" Jazz asked, "He's ten. Come on he's not the reason you chose to become a teacher."

"Wrong," Doombringer replied. "I wasn't supposed to be a teacher, but due to his wishes. Or magic. I'm not into this position." She stabbed a large knife into the wooden desk, "Relax it's completely safe for children. After all, due to his wand-wavers, he's survived for so long-"

"Wand-wavers?" Danny asked. "Tell me everything you know about them. Also, do you know anything about the ectopromodorial age?" Everyone in the room looked at him as Doombringer rubbed her chin. "I'm researching a school project… any bit of information would be helpful." She pulled out a book and handed it to him, How to Catch Fairies. "A book?"

"I was written by yours truly," she said laughing. "A collection of my best work. If you're doing the basics. That I assure you know the basics. Wings, wands, and magic. See fairies are an immortal good-natured race of beings. With a near-infinite supply of magic. Who are given to miserable children their magic is activated by something called a 'wish'. A wish can only be granted when a child well gets the idea. And I believe that one Timmy Turner has them...or is one himself, but of course, I don't have any proof." For about an hour Danny quizzed the woman with what information he had been given by Valrie. His parents and Jazz tried to change the subject but failed. "Anything else I could help you with, kid. Hell, I'll personally tutor you myself. After all, it's always nice to see someone interested in the supernatural."

"No, I have other things to do…"