Chapter 4: Things Get Strange
Danny and Star walked together. They were trying to get Danny's revelation out of their minds, but Star couldn't help but ask.
"Was it… a ghost?" Star asked.
"It must've… but my ghost sense didn't go off…" Danny said. "Then again, we have been underwater a few times today. For all I know, the ghost was following me all day and I already sensed it without knowing."
Star held onto his hand tighter, looking scared.
"So.. what do we do?"
"Just keep enjoying our day. For all we know, that might have been for someone else and we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Okay…" She said. She took a breath. "Okay… we have free passes, so maybe we can use this to feel better."
"Sure… so, the Tube Runner?"
Star thought about it, but saw a few people they didn't want to see in line. The A-listers.
"Not anymore…" She said with a dirty look.
Danny saw where she was looking and shared the look.
"So… the big slides?" Danny suggested.
Star shrugged. "Sure…"
As they walked towards the large slides, Star looked back and saw something Danny didn't. She did so out of paranoia and scowled at what she saw. It was Sam and Tucker, hiding behind a passing photo booth.
Those two… great… They're probably here to spy on us. I should call the cops, but Danny so far hasn't noticed and I don't want to worry him without solid proof. An idea came to her. Wait… did they make that thing fall?! Wait, no… they wouldn't be so low as to hurt me and they don't have what it takes to pull it off without Danny noticing because he saw it.
"Star, what's wrong?" Danny asked, noticing she was looking back.
"Huh?!" Star became aware. "Oh… just feeling paranoid that Colette, Dash or whoever did the fan thing is behind us… they're not."
Star sipped her lemonade drink from the bottle Danny just purchased. She drank it all to calm her nerves.
"Here… got that for you." Danny reached for her empty bottle.
"Thanks… uh… Love Muffin…" Danny looked to with an incredulous smile before laughing a bit. Star shook her head with some mild amusement. "Yeah… it sounded less silly in my head."
Looking back to see a they were passing a trash can, Danny stopped.
"I'll bet you a kiss I can make it with my back turned." He dated.
"Go ahead and try…" Star said with a competitive smirk.
They didn't see Dash and Kwan had just caught up with them.
"Okay… Paulina is out…" Dash said. "No problem, this is a two-man job."
"Even though she's not a man?" Kwan asked, clearly clueless.
"Anyway!" Dash said. "I'll chase them to the big slides. Once they get to one, you wait at the bottom. We'll make Twinkie into a pretzel to show Star what happens when you betray the A-list!"
Danny tossed the bottle into the air from behind.
"Here we go!" He said with a smile.
It did not land in the trash can. It hit a certain someone's head before bouncing off and entering its intended target.
"FENTON!" Was suddenly shouted.
They soon turned around and saw Dash running towards them, looking mad.
"Oh man, not again..." Danny muttered.
"Any chances of going Specter Island on him?" Star asked.
"As much as I'd want to, it's against being a hero or something. So our only choice is to avoid him. Come on!" Danny said as he grabbed her arm.
Kwan, who was left, just shrugged. "I guess I'll wait at the bottom of the slide…"
The two of them started running towards the slides but Star noticed something odd.
She saw her ex boyfriend Kwan entering the pool and swimming near the slide. Specifically, the bottom of it.
What's he up to? Star thought as she and Danny started running up the steps, until it hit her.
"Danny, it's a trap! Kwan's at the bottom!" Star warned.
She would have stopped but Danny was still moving.
"I see, don't worry… I have an idea… just trust me…" He panted.
The had to run past everyone in line, much to their annoyance, and made it to the top.
"Excuse me!" The park employee at the top shouted. "You two need to get in line and-"
"Help! My ex-boyfriend and his idiot best friend are chasing after us!" Star said. "Also…" She pulled out the passes. "We have these!"
The employee rose a brow, but shrugged.
"Sure… go ahead… it's allowed."
Danny stepped up.
"I'll go first, you follow." He winked. "Don't worry, I'll be there for you. Just let me know it's you before you head down."
Star looked like she would question him, but knew Danny wouldn't abandon her. So, she nodded.
Danny went in to the large tube slide.
Once he went in, Star heard Dash shouted.
"HEY! MRS. FENTURD! YOU'RE TOAST! I DON'T CARE HOW HOT YOU ARE!"
Panicking, Star saw him reaching the last flight of stairs and looked into the slide.
"I'M COMING, DANNY!"
She immediately entered it.
She closed her eyes and screamed for her life. Then, almost as soon as she got in, she felt an arm wrap around her and she stopped sliding. She gasped.
"Boo…" She heard Danny say playfully.
Though it was dark, there was just barely enough light due to the walls not being solid enough to see Danny's face. She smiled.
"Danny? But, how-"
"I phased my hand to grab part of the slide." He said.
"I'M COMING DOWN YOU PUNKS! WHEN I'M DONE YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO HAVE KIDS!" Dash shouted from the entrance.
"HEY! YOU CAN'T GO IN THERE! YOU HAVE NO PASS!"
Danny and Star smiled. He made himself and Star intangible as Dash slid through them. Wanting to see what's going to happen, they peek their heads through the floor.
They saw Kwan was ready to attack. However, when Dash came out, Kwan got on top of him and tried to force him down..
"Got you now, Fenton! Or… my ex-girlfriend I still kinda have the hots for… or- wait…" He got off. "Dash?"
Dash shoved him back.
"Where are they?!" He looked around. "I know I saw them go down first!"
"You two!" Both of them saw a security guard standing outside the pool, not happy to see them. "You didn't have a pass or wait in line, and I'm assuming by what you just said, you were planning to harass someone… you'll both be coming with me!"
Both Dash and Kwan both looked more than a little upset at this and reluctantly got out of the pool and pulled away by the guard by their wrists.
Both Danny and Star giggled at their expense. They shared a brief kiss. Once they were sure that Dash and Kwan were gone, Danny made him and Star tangible again and they slid down safely into the pool.
"What a couple of morons..." Star said in annoyance.
"Why did you ever date that guy, anyway?" Danny couldn't help but question and Star groaned.
"A combination of peer pressure, shallow attraction and the fact that he's the least annoying one of the jocks... which isn't saying much..." Star muttered in annoyance.
"Well, they're gone now...we can enjoy ourselves..." Danny said in a carefree way.
Star however, didn't feel so much of that, since she had a feeling she was being watched and she had a feeling she knew by whom.
After several turns on the slides, Star decided to do some sun bathing. Danny really didn't see the point to it. He was just lying in the sun and that's when he looked to Star.
"Star… is there really any point to this? We're just doing nothing in the sun..." Danny questioned.
"Hey, nothing wrong with getting a little color... am I right?" Star said as she turned over.
Danny, being a teenage boy, saw his hot girlfriend lie while wearing her swimsuit and he grinned.
"Then again... I think I'm starting to like this… especially the view." Danny said.
Star giggled, realizing what he was referring to.
"Oh Danny-baby… Uh… no. Too common..." Star said, still trying to think up a pet name.
Danny chuckled.
"Don't sweat it, I'll like anything you call me… as long as it's not an insult like what you used to call me." Danny said.
Star smiled. "I know but I want something special..." She said.
"I'm sure it will be..." Danny said.
Star giggled. "Like this?"
The two shared a kiss… which someone saw with jealous eyes.
Sam had her binoculars on and she grinded her teeth in rage the moment their lips met. Tucker was lying on his back, trying to look suave to save his so far unpleasant experience.
"That blonde brat is going to pay for this…" She said to herself.
"Sam… this is extreme…" Tucker tried to warn her.
"Nobody asked you!" She snapped without looking at him.
"Are you serious?!" Was heard behind them.
Sam and Tucker turned around and, to their surprise, they saw someone they knew behind the smoothie stand now approaching them.
"Valerie?" Tucker questioned, before trying to act suave and got up. "Hey…" He tried to flirt.
Sam glared. "What are you doing here?" She asked in a less friendly tone.
"This is my weekend job..." Valerie stated. "Now what's going on here?!" Valerie demanded.
"None of your business..." Sam said hostile.
"It is when it involves my best friend..." Valerie said with her arms crossed.
"Danny and Star are on a date and Sam made me pay for her ticket because she can't use allowance for a while…" Tucker admitted.
Sam quickly right hooked Tucker's arm.
"Traitor!" Sam snapped.
Valerie rolled her eyes.
"Sam… what's wrong with you? Seriously…" Val said. "Has it ever occurred to you that not everyone is a school stereotype like Dash and Paulina pride themselves in being?"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Yeah… I bet they aren't…" Sam said sarcastically.
"When are you just gonna tell Danny how you feel?" Valerie said. "If you don't, you may as well let him be with Star."
Sam cringed at hearing that.
"Excuse me?!" Sam said.
"Unlike you Sam, I actually have more of a reason to be mad at Star since I actually dated Danny...but I'm not because I care about them and I want them to be happy..." Valerie said.
"Oh right, let him be happy with someone who called him a freak and a loser for months before suddenly deciding she's in love with him!" Sam argued.
"Danny saved her bacon plenty of times already. Besides, people can change and learn from their mistakes. You should consider that." Valerie told her. "Sam…" Valerie tried to act more mature at the moment. "If you actually think you're a good friend for Danny, do you really think a good friend would stalk him and spy on his date to prove a point, even if they're right?"
Sam seemed to look like she was considering it and lowered the binoculars. To their surprise, Valerie and Tucker both looked at each other to make sure they saw the same thing.
"You know what…" Sam said as though in realization. "You're right Valerie…" Both of them smiled. "Because a good friend… would just walk up and tell him she's wrong for him, because I am right!"
Both of them groaned exasperated.
Just as Sam was about to march up to them, other voices spoke up.
"Danny Fenton and Star Strong are here?" They looked to see some girls from their school were there to. Three of them, Zoey, Paige and Ashley, who was the one who spoke. "Well, I happen to think those two are actually cute together."
"No one asked you!" Sam snapped.
"I'm a little jealous, but I like that Star left the A-list for him and not the other way around." Paige said.
"I actually found a website that shows you what your kids would look like if you uploaded pictures of yourselves." Zoey said. "I added photos of them from the middle school yearbook. They have the potential for really cute baby girls and at least 2 cute sons..."
All three of them sigh in awe.
"Uh… girls?" Tucker spoke up, for once not in a flirtatious manner to the female sex. "You should run…"
He gestured to a very hostile looking Sam
"Ugh! So jealous…" Ashley said.
"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" Sam hissed before she soon ran after the three.
This left Tucker with Valerie, a slight awkward silence between them.
"So… want a smoothie?" She asked.
"You got blueberry and banana?" Tucker asked. Valerie nodded. "Okay, sure… I'll buy one please…"
While Sam was busy trying to deny any jealous and inflict potential bodily harm, she was unaware of the fact that she wasn't the only one spying on the happy couple.
Colette, who was using a pair of binoculars she borrowed from a boy she flirted with, saw the kiss and gripped the binoculars, nearly crushing them in her fists.
"Why that no good coquine… hmpt… No matter, Danny will be mine… they'll both see that soon enough…"
As the happy couple were sunbathing, Star was still trying to think up a special pet name for her current boyfriend.
Hmm… Danny darling...no...too formal. Honey… no, it almost sounds like we're married if I call him that and I don't want to freak him out… Danny-Pie? Too lame. Pumpkin? Nah… Dumpling… Uh-huh… Pud'n? No… Star soon realized the direction her thoughts were going and she knew why.
She had a pretty light lunch and she was getting a little hungry again.
"Danny… I'll be back in a second… I'm gonna get a snack..." Star said, only to see that he had dozed off for a bit.
Star resisted the urge to giggle as she decided not to disturb him and left to go to a nearby snack bar.
Once she got up, she didn't see someone made their move.
Danny felt someone lean into him.
"Star?" He stirred. He reached out for her. "What's up, found a name for me? Or do you just want a kiss?" As he wrapped his arm around what he thought was Star, he noticed she felt different. He felt more skin, meaning she wasn't wearing a one-piece suit.
"I do indeed, Mon Amour…"
Danny quickly let go and crawled back when he realized who this was. His eyes opened widely when he saw her.
"Colette?!" He was not happy. "Why are you here? Where's Star?"
"It seems Estelle does not want you anymore… but do not worry… my arms are open for you…" She held out, wanting a hug.
"No thanks!" Danny said, standing up. "I can tell you're lying…"
"I am not lying when I say I like you…"
"Why?! I'm like… not a stud or whatever. Shouldn't you be hitting on an athlete or fawning over our local superhero, Danny Phantom?"
"Hmph… anyone can fawn over some silly superhero…"
Danny was surprised to hear that.
Wow… she is the anti-Paulina…
"Besides… you are not that common… My last boyfriend took two hours to realize he wanted me… it hasn't been two days and you've yet to realize how good we'd be…" She took a step closer, making Danny step back. "That's why I want you… but for now…" She held out a bottle of sunscreen. "I want you to help put some sunscreen… all over me."
She wanted an excuse for Danny to touch her.
Danny rolled his eyes. Then he had an idea.
"Hey! Guys! She needs someone to put sunscreen on her!"
Suddenly, a whole rush of boys got up and rushed over to Colette, surrounding her. Each one asked Colette to let them pour the sunscreen for her.
Colette got up and tried to find Danny, only to see him walking away, meeting up with Star.
She scowled at first, but smirked despite all the boys trying offer themselves up.
"Playing hard to get? You're dedicated, but I always win…"
"I cannot believe her…" Star said as she munched on her chocolate. "She swooped in and tried to steal my…" She looked at Danny, unsure what to call him. "Sweetums?"
Danny gave an unsure look with a so-so gesture. "Eh."
"Yeah, I thought so." Star said. She groaned in frustration at Colette's actions again. She huffed. "I need more than chocolate." She said as she stuffed the rest of her bar in her mouth. "Something that won't make me fat…"
Danny thought hard about it, but then saw a ride upcoming.
"Wanna try this ride? The Scream Cyclone?"
"Sure, maybe I can imagine Colette's screams when I put bacon in her expensive sweater the next time I see Cujo…" Star admitted. "Wanna come?"
Danny shook his head no. "You need this more than me."
Star nodded. She went past the lines thanks to the pass. The ride was a gravitron that happened to have a fountain in the center that shot water out, spraying the riders.
Star took a breath as the ride began moving.
"Here we go…"
It started spinning fast, and she started screaming with the others, finally having some fun.
Danny smiled. He nodded.
"She needed this after that…"
"DANNY!" He heard her scream an audible word over the rest of the riders. At first he laughed it off. "DANNY!" He heard it again, much to his confusion.
Why is she screaming for me?!
"HELP!"
His eyes widened.
One of Star's straps broke free, letting her arm go free. She was panicking. Then the strap on an ankle came off. She gasped in horror.
"HELP ME!"
That's when the strap around her other ankle broke.
However, to her surprise, she wasn't flying around. She felt hands grab her ankles and hold her in place.
She smiled when she realized who it was.
Danny!
As Danny held on, the rider operator noticed Star's straps on the floor. He panicked and turned the ride off. Once it stopped, the other riders seemed disappointed until they saw Star's predicament. Once she was let go from the last strap, she glared at him.
"YOU MANIAC! YOU NEED TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THIS STUFF! I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!"
As she yelled at the apologetic operator, Danny noticed where the straps were once attached. He notices something about them seemed off. So he flew to the metal straps themselves. He saw that they looked like they were broken off by force. It made his eyes widen.
Quickly finding a spot to turn back to Danny Fenton, he ran to Star and started to pull her away.
"Star, come on!"
"In a minute, Danny… I got a bone to-"
Danny turned her around.
"Now…" He had a serious look in his eye, one that made her snap out of it.
He took her by the wrist and pulled her away from the ride. He was carrying one of the straps.
"Danny?" Star asked, noticing how quiet and upset he looked. It made her worry. "Danny?" She asked again.
He stopped once they turned a corner and nobody was around to listen in.
"This is one of the straps…" Danny showed it to her. "Notice something odd?"
Star took a closer look. Her eyes widened.
"It's all bent, like someone pulled it off…" Star said quietly.
Danny nodded.
"First the fan, now this? I don't think these are coincidences…" He responded. "Someone did this on purpose…"
It looks like someone else has made themselves aware. Danny realized someone is trying to harm Star, but who? And why?
All we know is this fun day together is getting less fun for them both.
Just wait for Chapter 5!
Invader Johnny: Unless Colette has powers of her own, unlikely.
Jebest4781: Thank you, let's find out who it is soon...
Luiz4200: Let's find out if it's the latter!
Dreams Come True 996: Dash is one of them, for sure. Ultimate Spider-Man's version of Flash Thompson is another. I'll have to sit through a lot of fictional bullies to know for sure.
