Danny looked at has watch. "Darn. Still 20 minutes until ancient
civilizations," he muttered to himself. "Hmm. I wonder if today will be the
day?" Danny had signed up for the ancient civilizations class at the
beginning of freshman year, thinking it would be a good way to get an easy
credit or two. Of course, this had been before his little...accident... in
his parents' lab. Recently his teacher had told the class that they would
next be studying an ancient European people by the name of the Nihotes.
They believed in ghost worship, and the teacher said that, by studying the
ancient writings and ruins of the people, some scientists even believed
they could turn into ghosts at will. Of course, the teacher had said, the
whole "ghost thing" wasn't taken too seriously today. It was probably some
sort of ancient metaphor, used to mean something else. People couldn't just
turn into ghosts.
But that had been weeks ago, and now Danny was looking more and more forward to when they could start the unit on the Nihotes. Of course, Mr. Geoffreys, the teacher, wasn't any more exuberant about this civilization than he was about any other. When class started that day, Mr. Geoffreys paced around the room. "You are standing in a dark cave," he began. "You look around you at all of your fellows, preparing to rise. As if on cue, you and you brethren stand and begin to chant. There is a stone circle on the floor in front of you, and when your song begins, it starts to glow green with an unearthly light. One of your tribes-mates takes out a flute and begins to play. Out of the green glow comes a figure. It is a ghost. Then comes another. And another. You bow down in worship, praying to the ghostly figures. Suddenly all of you become ghosts yourselves, flying through the cave, screaming. There is joy in the air, a joy so powerful, you and your people can hardly contain it. You land, and it is done."
Danny sat listening, half entranced by the tale of the people he was sure were the Nihotes. "Wow," thought Danny. "That's EXACTLY how it feels when I fly."
His thoughts were interrupted by his teacher saying, "...and these people were called the Nihotes, living in ancient times, and worshiping ghosts. Of course, what you heard just now was speculation only. No one actually believes these people could become ghosts. It's an impossibility. Utter madness to even think of it. Yes... um, now, the first thing we'll do for this unit is to have you all write a paper on being a ghost. What would it feel like? What would you look like? What is the first thing you would do if you could fly, and go through walls? Oh yes, don't forget the turning invisible part. That is an important thing for a ghost. Are we all clear on what we're doing here? Good. Now on to the writing."
"Yes!" Danny said. "Finally a writing assignment I know I'll get a good grade on. How can I not? I know everything there is to know about being a ghost." But just as he was about to put his pencil to his paper, he yawned. That would have been okay, if not for the freezing blue fog that issued out of his mouth. "Well, that can't be good," he muttered. "Uh, Mr. Geoffreys, may I use the restroom?" and with that, he ran out of the room.
Racing down the hall, Danny looked around. No one was coming. He quickly hid in a corner, and muttered to himself. "I'm going ghost." A blinding flash came from his body, and when he could see again, he had become Danny Phantom. He turned invisible, and floated through to the room where he had felt the ghost energy coming from. A giant monster was waiting for him there. It roared. Danny charged the beast, knocking him into a classroom wall. The ghost phased through. "Great," said Danny. "That's just what I need. A bunch of 10th graders running around, claiming to have seen a giant ghost monster. Well, I better put a stop to this." But when Danny phased through the wall, there was nothing there. No monster, no students, no classroom. Danny gasped. "Where am I?" he shouted, looking around. He was surrounded in a white mist, and could see nothing but white all around him. Looking around, he saw a darker patch in the air. He flew over, and saw something he would remember for the rest of his life. It was a great stone circle, at least 20 feet across; inscribed with symbols and letters Danny had never seen. But he did recognize one thing on it. A picture of a ghost. "It's a Nihote circle," he cried. "I'm sure of it!"
He touched it, and as soon as his hand brushed it, he was back inside his school. "Whoa. That was weird," he said. "I'd better get back to class." So Danny landed, exited the deserted classroom, and walked on to back to class.
But that had been weeks ago, and now Danny was looking more and more forward to when they could start the unit on the Nihotes. Of course, Mr. Geoffreys, the teacher, wasn't any more exuberant about this civilization than he was about any other. When class started that day, Mr. Geoffreys paced around the room. "You are standing in a dark cave," he began. "You look around you at all of your fellows, preparing to rise. As if on cue, you and you brethren stand and begin to chant. There is a stone circle on the floor in front of you, and when your song begins, it starts to glow green with an unearthly light. One of your tribes-mates takes out a flute and begins to play. Out of the green glow comes a figure. It is a ghost. Then comes another. And another. You bow down in worship, praying to the ghostly figures. Suddenly all of you become ghosts yourselves, flying through the cave, screaming. There is joy in the air, a joy so powerful, you and your people can hardly contain it. You land, and it is done."
Danny sat listening, half entranced by the tale of the people he was sure were the Nihotes. "Wow," thought Danny. "That's EXACTLY how it feels when I fly."
His thoughts were interrupted by his teacher saying, "...and these people were called the Nihotes, living in ancient times, and worshiping ghosts. Of course, what you heard just now was speculation only. No one actually believes these people could become ghosts. It's an impossibility. Utter madness to even think of it. Yes... um, now, the first thing we'll do for this unit is to have you all write a paper on being a ghost. What would it feel like? What would you look like? What is the first thing you would do if you could fly, and go through walls? Oh yes, don't forget the turning invisible part. That is an important thing for a ghost. Are we all clear on what we're doing here? Good. Now on to the writing."
"Yes!" Danny said. "Finally a writing assignment I know I'll get a good grade on. How can I not? I know everything there is to know about being a ghost." But just as he was about to put his pencil to his paper, he yawned. That would have been okay, if not for the freezing blue fog that issued out of his mouth. "Well, that can't be good," he muttered. "Uh, Mr. Geoffreys, may I use the restroom?" and with that, he ran out of the room.
Racing down the hall, Danny looked around. No one was coming. He quickly hid in a corner, and muttered to himself. "I'm going ghost." A blinding flash came from his body, and when he could see again, he had become Danny Phantom. He turned invisible, and floated through to the room where he had felt the ghost energy coming from. A giant monster was waiting for him there. It roared. Danny charged the beast, knocking him into a classroom wall. The ghost phased through. "Great," said Danny. "That's just what I need. A bunch of 10th graders running around, claiming to have seen a giant ghost monster. Well, I better put a stop to this." But when Danny phased through the wall, there was nothing there. No monster, no students, no classroom. Danny gasped. "Where am I?" he shouted, looking around. He was surrounded in a white mist, and could see nothing but white all around him. Looking around, he saw a darker patch in the air. He flew over, and saw something he would remember for the rest of his life. It was a great stone circle, at least 20 feet across; inscribed with symbols and letters Danny had never seen. But he did recognize one thing on it. A picture of a ghost. "It's a Nihote circle," he cried. "I'm sure of it!"
He touched it, and as soon as his hand brushed it, he was back inside his school. "Whoa. That was weird," he said. "I'd better get back to class." So Danny landed, exited the deserted classroom, and walked on to back to class.