Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or Spider-Man. I do not own the original story this is based on.
The sun was blazing hot as the residents of Amity Park walked out in shorts, short sleeve shirts, and swimsuits. This could only be the beginning as summer break started for the students of Casper High. Everyone had been making plans, regularly hanging out at the water park, beach, or mall. There was talk of jobs, but the biggest gossip was about the return of a certain event.
For a Danny Fenton/Danny Phantom, this could mean relaxing days where ghost hunting wouldn't bother him as normal. With no homework to worry about, the ghost boy could relax and chill with his friends, trying to make the most of his summer days.
Or so he thought.
"Danny, your father and I think it's time for you to get a summer job," Maddie said.
Danny dropped his backpack in shock. He had just arrived from school and went to the kitchen for a snack when his folks sucker-punched him with the news. He could hardly believe his parents, almost wishing ghosts had possessed them. Almost.
"But mom, I'm fifteen, I'm not old enough to apply for one—"
"Nice try, but we know your friend Sam has been working at the flower shop for months now. You can't use that excuse," Maddie added, with her husband nodding gruffly.
"But that's because she had no choice!" Danny retorted. His arms flailed up in exaggeration of his teenage drama.
"And we're making you. Come on, you can't keep lounging around the house doing nothing. Plus, we paid for that dating service you took last summer. Now it's time you understand the value of money," Jack said.
Danny sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. His dad handed him a newspaper with the want ads, and the ghost boy knew that his summer vacation would be less relaxing than he thought.
So much for a relatively normal summer.
Walking outside, Danny checked the newspaper for what was available for a teenager. He could've done that on the internet, but he didn't need his parents breathing down his neck about employment. Their forgetting about that detail was a blessing in disguise.
He avoided jobs at the Nasty Burger for reasons: Valerie still works there, everyone at school hangs out there, and the job only advertised its mascot position.
That was a line to never cross. It would've been deadly to walk out in the open wearing the ridiculous uniform while teens pranked with ghosts attacking him.
The other jobs weren't that grand either. While a first job was not glamorous, the listing provided openings for greeters, dishwashers, delivery boys, and so on. None of them are appealing or provide any viable income, dissuading the ghost boy from applying.
"Wow...TV was right...having a job sucks." The defeat In Danny's voice expressed only a part of his sorrow. Throwing the paper in a fit of angst, a gust blew by, scattering the pages.
"Oh come on.!" He complained as part of the pile flew into his face. The page wasn't removed, making the boy's sorrow drop further.
However, the papers got stuck on someone else.
"I think you dropped something."
Danny paused, ignoring the scattering papers as they fluttered in the wind. Taking off the sheet, he saw Felicia Hardy wheeling over to the boy. He studied her casts. Despite healing faster, thanks in part to the phenomenal skills of Black Jack, the girl's body was still covered in casts, almost passing off as a hot mummy cosplay in anime conventions.
The ghost boy was surprised to see her here, especially since she was still supposed to be healing. New York was not a place you'd leave, especially with the hospitals available.
"Felicia, what are you doing here?" Danny asked bluntly.
The girl rolled her eyes, but smirked at the boy. She gave a small blush and still spoke in the same confidence he always heard.
"Can't a girl visit her favorite ghost boy whenever she wants?" Felicia cooed.
Danny blinked, not sure how to respond to that. While that statement could be laced with any hints, the kitten's current condition made questioning mandatory.
"But you're not able to-to...uh, well... I mean, we're no longer together...so..." Danny stuttered for a proper answer, much to the girl's joy.
"For what it's worth, it's good to see you too," Felicia said, looking sincere.
Danny paused, giving a slight blush. After everything in New York, part of him had to see the girl healing and out of the hospital, despite his mind telling him not to. And he wouldn't be the only one.
Tucker was seen. Running towards the ghost boy, recognizing his best friend's back as he walked to the tech store.
"Hey Danny! I thought that was you! What are—" Tucker paused as he appeared, seeing Felicia in her wheelchair. His body contorted in a mix of fear, caution, confusion, and concern. Seeing this, the boy got out his PDA, texting Sam immediately. All he needed to send was the word Felicia, and his location, and the goth had charged into the scene like she could teleport.
"Tucker! I got your text! Where is that—" Sam stopped, staring at Felicia in the wheelchair and bandages. Rage aside, even she wouldn't even harm her battered enemy in a wheelchair.
The two walked up to Danny and Felicia, who were staring at each other in silence. The ghost boy took notice of his friends, pointing to the blonde, bandaged girl with his head. The kitten was nervous, knowing the goth and geek did not welcome her, but she put up a brave face as she acknowledged their presence.
"Wow...you weren't kidding about that fall," Sam said, looking at Danny.
"Doctors say I have a few more weeks before I don't need the wheelchair and another before removing the bandages completely," Felicia replied, not bothered by the girl's obvious statement."
The Amity trio hissed through their teeth. While not fully understanding that it only took a few weeks to heal broken bones, given they are hard at regular teenagers with no interest in medicine, it was still painful to talk about surviving a fall from a skyscraper.
Wow...I hate her but...wow...I never expected this to happen to her. There is no way this is karma. Sam thought, feeling uneasy seeing how injured the blonde girl is.
Okay...I'm actually glad she'll survive. Tucker said in his mind.
Neither he nor Sam would ever wish death on someone. Even a thief like Felicia, who lied and hurt their best friend, did need to die for her crime. Stolen goods can be fenced or returned, but lives are priceless.
"Ok, so while I'm glad you're ok, mind answering why you are here?" Danny reiterated, pointing at the girl.
"She's here because of me," a voice said. The group turned around and saw that it was Max Modell.
"Mr. Modell?" Sam stared in disbelief at the man. She wasn't sure if she was there, but there was no denying it as she looked at his red hair, glasses, and fluffy physique.
"Please, call me Max," Modell said, extending a hand. "And if you're wondering why I'm here, well, it's because of you."
"Me?" Sam gestured to herself.
"Her?" Danny, Tucker, and Felicia said in sync.
"You." Max pointed at the goth. He got out his phone and went through his emails. "When you sent those emails telling your experience and growth, it gave me the idea to expand the knowledge of Horizon High to other places. And since you were the one who gave me the idea, I decided to try out this program with Casper High."
"Sam? Are you sure?" Tucker asked, sounding amazed. He seemed to be speaking for everyone, including Felicia. The goth girl was known for her outspoken opinions, never taking much interest in public education unless it pertained to a certain subject.
Max Modell nodded, making the teens drop their jaws and minds. A moment was needed pick up the latter, especially for Sam, who could wrap her head around the man's train of thought.
"But, I didn't tell you any growth. I just told you how happy I am working with Mr. Smithy and apologized for what happened with the drone," Sam remarked.
"You did?" Tucker asked, almost dropping his PDA in his surprise. But it would be a cold day in hell before he would let anything happen to his precious technology.
Max nodded. "You did, and that showed your growth, which got me thinking about today's technology. Many schools aren't fit to teach most students about computer programming, so I proposed this joint training program with Principal Ishiyama, and she accepted. I'll be in town, checking up on the progress, and hopefully, we can improve the education, not only in Amity Park, but throughout the states and possibly more."
Sam could feel her jaw crashing into the ground. While not physically, it felt like she had dug through the Earth's upper crust. How such a small event dominoed into upgrading the tech of Casper High sounded like a one-in-a-million chance lifetime. It honestly made the goth temporarily question the universe's existence, scrambling her perspective from years of living in Amity Park.
Danny was wondering the same thing, but for Tucker—
"OH, SWEET BABY! THANK YOU TECH GODS!"
Tucker was on cloud nine, almost ready to cry tears of joy as he danced to the beat of his heart. The technogeek, known for his love of computers, would be living the dream at school, a thought that would never cross his mind.
His friends, however, cringed at his rather embarrassing display of excitement. Danny wondered how is it he had ghost powers, but it was the tech-loving boy who was weird. But that didn't answer the elephant in the room.
"Ok, but why is Felicia here?" Danny asked one more, hoping for an answer this time.
"Well..."Max paused with a troubled face as he knew that this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation. Thinking back, he recalled the conversation he had with Felicia in his office.
"I'm being held back!" Felicia yelled in Max's office. She had just heard the statement, but it was unbelievable. The girl had spectacular grades and kept up with her projects, or so she thought.
"I'm sorry, Felicia, but despite your grades, you've been absent regularly for the last few months with late turn ins on your projects. This combined has dropped your grade point average to below the minimum passing grade," Max replied, typing away in his console. He turned to monitor towards the girl, showing her slow decline in classes. This would be passing in an average public school, but Horizon High had higher standards.
All the girl could do was feel her blood pressure rise while she ground her teeth. The irony was not lost on how she had more trouble holding her back.
"Is there anything I can do? There has to be extracurricular—"
"Due to the enormous amount of damage to the city, all extracurricular activities are on hold." Max held up his hand. His stoic face dropped a bit when he saw one of his brightest students lowered her head in tears.
"However, there is one thing you can do." The man added a cough. "I've been thinking of an academic outreach program in cooperation with the school board and various foundations and charity programs. If you could provide your assistance, I can add it to your credit, allowing you to continue your education without being held back."
Mr. Modell got up as he explained the details, talking about moving equipment and improving a school. Out of every town and city in America, only one place would be selected for the trial year.
Felicia could only choke in surprise when she heard it was Amity Park's Casper High. But her decision was already decided. It could be in Florida for all she cared, and she would still accept.
A Hardy never settles for second best.
Danny blinked, as did his friends, turning his attention towards Felicia. The wheelchair-bound girl fluttered her eyelashes at the ghost boy, sending dangerous vibes down his body. It was hard to make out the emotion against everything that had happened since spring break. His friends joined in, questioning the powers that be in this situation.
Felicia, on the other hand...
"Looks like we'll be seeing each other a lot this year," she said.
"And if this program works, I can talk to other school boards about doing the same. No more factory setting schools that have to put more value on sports, but instead, a new and improved environment where every curriculum is treated equally," Max added.
Tucker was still in a blissful high, making him too happy to fully invest in his best friend's complicated former love life. Velma would be the first to what of this in an hour-long video date later today. This could probably entice the girl to move to Amity Park.
But before anything else, the mover truck was seen backing up. The vehicle's beeping brought everyone's attention to the many boxes, making Danny realize he was standing in front of the building where Felicia would be staying.
Life for the ghost boy was always unexpected, but this was more like a sucker punch. It seemed his complicated love life was not over.
And it became more Daedalian as he felt Felicia's stare still on him.
"You wouldn't mind helping out a poor girl," she said, milking her situation, much to the ghost boy's irked mood.
Since Felicia was still in a wheelchair and cast, Danny couldn't refuse to help her unpack her things. A curse of his good nature as a person and hero.
Sam and Tucker helped. While they didn't trust the girl, they figured keeping a close eye on her was better. You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Max guided everyone to the apartment. The complex, a facility named the MacKay, was high-end, with all housing entrances on the inside with elevator access, mailboxes on each floor, a built-in gym and pool, and a garage with access on all floors and a gate protecting any opening.
It seemed Felicia's mother spared nothing for her daughter for the move.
The movers were quick, putting the boxes in designated rooms. They were silent and did the job quickly before leaving.
Danny was busy unpacking in the living room, taking out nick-knacks and the like. He looked over his shoulder to see Felicia video-chatting her mother. Since the fall, Lydia Hardy has consistently checked up on her daughter. This had been the third call today.
It was no surprise, the mother was furious over the fact that her daughter was going to be held back, only to lay off after hearing of Max's offer.
Felicia cringed as she talked to her mother, who noticed Danny in the background. She'd ask about the boy later, but went on to ensure her daughter we had everything.
The kitten may be an expert thief and unafraid to go toe-to-toe with some of the most fierce heroes and criminals out there...but she is still a teenager with a perfectionist mother who controls most of her expenses and quality of life.
"Hey, Mom, how's work? Is the new boss any better?" Felicia asked.
"While Harry isn't anything like his father, yet, the boy seems to be handling his situation very well. Seems that private education from Mr. Osborn paid off," Lydia replied.
"Wait, Harry?" Danny interjected. He stopped whatever he was unpacking to walk towards Felicia and her mother on screen. "Didn't I meet that kid?"
"Yeah, Harry Osborn, Peter's friend. His father disappeared in an explosion a while again after the spider virus and nobody's seen him. So, Harry's now the head of Osborn Corp," Felicia explained.
"Wait? A rich kid's CEO dad disappears and he's made the new head? I thought that was only in movies!" Tucker said, dropping the box he was holding. The cardboard container ruffled, but nothing shattered.
"It appears Norman made it so only his son could succeed him." Max's tone was sober, walking into the room. If anyone knew Norman Osborn, the best bet right now was this man. "He always had to do things his way, and it seems he never gave way."
Lydia Hardy sighed, having worked for the man as his secretary for years. There was probably a story or two to back up max's claim, but the woman didn't want to think about that.
"Either way, nothing significant has changed, which means everyone still has their job," Lydia said. She looked at Danny, locking eyes with the ghost boy. Danny paused, giving a small wave in nervousness as they stared.
"Though that seems to be the least on my mind right now," Lydia added. "At the very least, I know you'll be in good company, if not the most...supportive, right now."
"Uhh..hi—"
"We'll have a chat later, in person, Mr. Fenton. In the meantime, please take care of my girl. You're the only one I can trust."
The ghost boy blinked but nodded. His ex-girlfriend may stir his emotions, but he wouldn't turn down Ms. Harry's request.
"See, I'm alright now. Talk to you later?" Felicia added.
Lydia nodded, saying her goodbye before the screen went blank.
Seeing how the Amity trio was handling things, Max took the moment to leave for an errand.
"I believe everything will be handled properly with you three around. So, I'll be checking in with Principal Ishiyama real quick. I'll be back soon," Max said. The man got out his phone as he walked out, no doubt to let the principal know he was coming.
This left the teens alone, making the atmosphere awkward with its tension. Danny, Sam, and Tucker wanted to display anger or perhaps hostility, but with Felicia being in a wheelchair injured, it felt more like having a stare-down in gelatin. Any action would cause a ripple but would have no effect right now.
But words still held power.
"We're gonna have a long talk about everything, huh?" Danny broke the silence, sitting down in the living room. Sam and Tucker joined him as Felicia where'd over.
"Depends on the subject, but it wouldn't surprise me if it lasted the entire time I'm here," Felicia commented before staring into Danny's eyes. "But I am happy to see you."
Danny blushed, feeling his heart skip. He held his chest in defiant stubbornness as he tried to stare the girl down, but to no avail, as she went straight to flirting
"So, Blue eyes...or should I call you prefer green eyes? You , Phantom works best. After all, you're so...mysterious," Felicia cooed, trying to be romantic with him.
The ghost boy would have retorted, but Sam jumped from her seat, getting between the two. The goth's stare held rage, this time for a real reason.
"Don't think that just because your injured, doesn't mean things are gonna get better. Cause don't forget, me and Tucker know who you are too!" Sam snapped, leaning into Felicia's personal space with her hands in the wheelchair's arms.
"I figured," Felicia retorted with a calm face.
"Don't 'I figured' me! Say what you will about before, but this time, I'm gonna make sure you pay for hurting Danny, abusing him—"
"And lying to him!" Tucker joined in. He didn't leave his seat, knowing Sam could handle things as he kept comforting Danny.
"Exactly! So if you think you can come here and steal whatever it is you want, think again!"
Felicia's face never showed anything but a neutral facade as the girls stared at each other. She had faced danger before, real threats such as heroes and criminals. Even now, injured and vulnerable, the goth's threatening rampage meant nothing.
"First of all," Felicia started. "I'm here to make sure I don't add another year to my school life. Second, if I go out for a night stroll, we all know you can't stop me, last time you tried anything, it was too easy—"Felicia roses her voice before Sam can retort. "And third, the only thing I want, only one person here has it, and mark my words, I will get it back."
Sam glared, but she and the others knew what she meant as she was lovingly looking at Danny.
The ghost boy tried to hide his blush and ignore her stares. He realized he needed to be clear on something with her. Despite the recent adventure, nothing had changed between them.
He turned to face her, looking serious.
"Look, I saved you. Went to Japan for a unlicensed doctor—"
"Who also saved more than a hundred patients single-handedly—"
"What!?" Danny and Sam scream simultaneously. Tucker would have joined in, but he was trying to balance the box of tech, treating the container better than the Box Ghost.
The ghost boy looked up New York on his phone. Typing away, he found tags on social media about the doctor. For someone shady looking, his skills were worth the price as he saw how the Japanese man was tagged in a few photos saying how he saved a few relatives. It seemed the man made a profit that day, an understatement given his price.
The goth was partially impressed, partially out of seeing the Frankensteinian appearance of the man cute.
"I must say, being a superhero gives you access to the best," Felicia said, smirking while the ghost boy tried to regain control of the conversation.
"Ok, Black Jack aside, just because of what happened in New York, doesn't mean I'm gonna forgive you or let you be," Danny said.
"Who says I don't want that?" Felicia's words bloomed dangerous feelings in the ghost boy's body. They were pushed down as his voice came back.
"Let me put this in a different way, I see Black Cat, she goes to jail. Cause this time, I know who you are—"
"As do I, Phantom." Felicia's tone held no malice but pierced through the Amity trio's thoughts. "If I go to jail, don't you think people will have questions for the girl who Danny Phantom seemed to know about?"
That made the room silent.
"I won't tell anyone about Danny. Never. But that won't stop people from asking questions, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Whatever you think you know, know this, you don't know the world I'm in. Danny may be the hero, but I'm still in the dark. So tread carefully."
It was hard to determine if the girl was threatening or not. She said she wouldn't reveal anything, but there seemed to be more to the speech, which would be for later.
"Alright, but like I said, prepare to have your claws clipped," Danny retorted.
"I loo forward to it," Felicia replied, blowing a kiss.
The ghost boy couldn't stop his blush but took it as a sign to leave. The apartment was almost finished, and Max would be back, so there wasn't any problem with that. Right now, he didn't want to stir up any more emotions or sparks. The tender moment below Horizon High proved there was still something. Sam and Tucker had gone through the door when Danny was about to go through.
"By the way, Blue Eyes," Felicia called out. "You think you could stroll me over to the Nasty Burger? I miss their shakes."
Danny paused, and while his friends told him to reject such an offer, he nodded.
"Just let me know when," Danny said before closing the door.
"I'll see you around, Phantom."
I know it's October, and y'all are expecting an update to the ghost girl side stories, but this one was calling out to me. When I think of something for my stories, I write it as soon as possible.
Anyway, Felicia's educational future is at jeopardy, but there is a way out. But now she and Danny are going to have to deal with other and their emotions, hormones, and more down the line. Expect character development but no revenge.
Special Thanks! to Flower Princess11 for all her help!
Special Thanks! to Jay The Average Fanboy for all his help!
Thanks for leaving a review:
pokemon fan 1991: Yes and no...you'll see.
NiteOwl18: Felicia took the break up hard. It wrecked her grades.
Jebest4781; Thanks!
Invader Johnny: Better terms, but there are still wounds. Plus, she only cared about the ones Danny had, Sam and Tucker shared the pain.
LockAndKey898: That and more.
RonaldM40196867: Who would counsel these two and where could they go? Danny won't get ice breath. For the dates, I gotta say Sabrina is one while Felicia has become two. As for the third...part of me is thinking either Gwen(TDI) or Batgirl.
Luiz4200: I gotta ask how you came to that conclusion. I looked up Sunbright, and there seems to be distinct differences. But that doesn't matter, as it's more a curiosity. As for Felicia, the break up with Danny hit her hard enough to make her grades slide.
61394: oh...sorry for opening your can of worms. As for Danny and Felicia, they are in the path, now they have to heal, and that won't be easy as we explore more of Black Cat's world. Brutal chapters? Hard to say for me as it natural in my perspective. Or I'm desensitized to literary violence...Nah! Max does not know Felicia's dual life, Anya already did(probably. I'll have to double check), Gwen will become SpiderGwen(gonna have to think about the name), but there will be changes, especially with Doc Ock. For Jake, I barely remember the show, beside a few key moments. So, I'll have to look it up again. For Danny and Jen, I need to stop being lazy or distracted.
Jay The Average Fanboy: In order: she'll get stronger, that will be explored, Jack would love being in the same place as the Ghostbusters.
Red Ron(Guest): Cause her grades slipped due to the break up.
Guest: Thanks!
ZoomedIn: Thanks! Swears with Deadpool go uncensored if it's serious. While bleeped ones are purely comical. But don't expect F-bombs all the time.
Leonardo(Guest): Correct answer! Have a cookie!