Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Paramount global.
Staged
Chapter 9: Drama on Stage
The Next Day
The school day had passed by quickly and it was time for rehearsals once more.
Danny and Star were making great progress with their lines and their characters dynamic...and flirting with each other before, after and even during practice, while Colette fumed with jealousy and resentment.
Spike was having fun by showing off his acting skills as Jazz tried to focus on her job as stage manager and NOT give into her growing obsession with mistakes and psychoanalyzing her fellow students, while Dash was still struggling on memorizing even the most basic lines in the play. Sam and Tucker were upset, wondering what they did that was so wrong that they had to wind up a part of a play they didn't want or need to be a part of.
"Really wishing that I was grounded right now..."Sam muttered, looking sour right now.
"At least you don't have to say cheesy stuff and be force to wear tights that will probably cut off circulation..."Tucker muttered, not looking forward to opening night.
"At least you don't have to wear a frilly dress, pretend to be in love with Dash and pamper him for half the play..."Sam pointed out, scowling as hard as possible and nearly hurling at the thought of the scene that she'd have to do with that stupid jock.
Tucker blinked and compared both their situations. He shuddered in disgust, realizing her point.
"Okay, you got it worse..."He admitted it, not wanting to be in her shoes either.
Sam looked annoyed, but it was clear that they both hated their assigned roles. On the other hand, our favorite couple seemed to love theirs.
"One turf shall serve as pillow for us both; one heart, one bed, two bosoms, and one troth..."Danny recited, really getting into his role.
"Nay, good Lysander. For my sake, my dear, Lie further off yet; do not lie so near..."Star said, doing the same.
The actors soon continued practicing their lines and their scene soon came to an end.
"Well done, you're all coming along nicely..."Mr. Lancer admitted, before rolling his eyes at the rest. "I just wish the same could be said about a few others I casted..."He grumbled, as his eyes glanced to Dash, who was still struggling to learn his lines.
"What is PIE-ray...mus? a lover, or a ty...tire...ty-RENT? ..."Dash repeated poorly.
The teacher sighed and used both of his hands to massages his temple from the aching headache he was already suffering from, exasperated with the jock's poor acting.
"Hopefully the other actors performance might distract the audience from our chain's weakest link..."He mused, but he wouldn't hold his breath.
Danny and Star chuckled together as they continued. Once they were done, they overheard Dash's butchering his lines in his seat.
"What the heck is a PIE-ray-mus, anyway? Sounds like a mouthwash..."The jock said, still struggling.
The couple saw this and cringed upon hearing the jocks poor performance.
"Yikes, I knew that he was bad but this is way worse than I could have imagined..."Danny whispered.
"That's nothing. You should see when he was trying to learn to dance to impress Michelle at the Sadie Hawkins dance. It was actually painful to watch..."Star said, not impressed with her ex-friend's stupidity.
"I can imagine..."Danny said, amused.
"So, we should practice/pretend to practice just to flirt with each other..."He said.
"Fine with me..."Star said with a giggle.
As the couple chatted and rehearsed, while Colette saw this and grinded her perfectly white teeth in anger, not caring the bill she would have to pay.
"Estelle..."She muttered bitterly, hating her even more than usual. "I just wish that someone would get rid of her..."She muttered hatefully, looking away as she was forced to stay.
Unknown to her, someone overheard her and smirked, getting ideas of their own.
Meanwhile
Back on Stage
Danny and Star were enjoying their water break and kept flirting and spending time with each other. They also talked a little more of their usual stuff to pass the time as well.
"And that's when the fire department showed up..."Danny said, recalling what happened that one thanksgiving.
"Wow, it's no wonder your folks are on Chief Boyle's bad side..."Star said, recalling the dirty looks the police chief often sent the Fenton parents for their property damage.
"Thankfully, the people dropped the charges when mom and dad agreed to pay all the damages. Not that they had any choice..."Danny muttered, recalling how unpleasant that incident was.
She decided not to bother asking more before they heard the head of this call out.
"Alright, break's over..."Mr. Lancer said, looking down his clipboard to see who's scene was next for rehearsal on his list.
"By the way, where are we getting costumes for his?..." Star asked, looking forward to seeing what they were going to wear.
"Unfortunately, I found out costumes were damaged last week when a large meat monster was upset that school tried to go one week without burgers... so all costumes were ruined in the battle.,," Lancer explained, looking upset.
"Good thing I brought these!..."An extravagant voice was heard.
"No way..."Star said as she saw who it was.
It was her mother, Stella, who walked inside like she entered some spa, tossing hair over her shoulder at the same time.
The blonde woman arrived to the scene and even brought a well dressed man, who looked very similar to Fabian the tailor that helped her during the beauty pageant. Her daughter, however, seemed unnerved by the sudden appearance of her mother.
"Mom, what are you doing here?..."Star asked, embarrassed by her sudden appearance.
Stella didn't notice that as she smiled and spoke happily.
"I did say that I would help and support in any way that I could, darling. And so, here I am and with a very special guest to help you..."Stella said as a man appeared before them.
Star looked at the man and recognized him.
"Fabian?..."She asked, but soon noticed that it's not him but someone else.
"No, this is Fabian's cousin, Darryl Toulouse DiMartino, a famous costume designer who also has experienced working on Broadway and some television shows. I hired him to help bring out the best in this school play and its star..."Stella said, grinning at him.
"Wait, you did what?..."Star asked, uneasy now.
"This, tada..."Stella said as the costume designer then presented what he brought.
It was an expensive looking, well made costume that look like it came straight out of a medieval theme movie. One made specifically for Star. The dress was a lovely shade of blue and looked elegantly and delicately made. It was clearly the work of a professional.
"I also do Japanese kimonos and western style getups..." Darryl said in a very un-fancy Brooklyn accent.
"Huh... that is not the voice I imagined..." Star thought, as she took another look at the dress.
"I also hired him to make the costumes for the entire cast. Consider it a donation from a generous benefactor, who just also happens to be the mother of one of the lead actresses in this school play..."Stella said, winking.
Star wanted to say no, but Mr. Lancer looked excited and admired the costumed that he saw.
"Thank you very much, Mrs. Bevier. This generous donation will help our play look the part..."The teacher said, happy for the free costumes and that they look this good.
Stella smiled and beamed at Star, hoping to hear some thanks.
Star instead sighed.
"Thanks... I guess..."She said, appreciating the thought but also a bit apprehensive as she believed that it was a bit too much.
Stella pouted in disappointment as Star didn't seem as enthusiastic as she would've hoped.
"I was really hoping for her saying she loved it..."She muttered.
"My wife is like that too..." Darryl said.
"You have a wife?..." Stella asked.
"Yes..." Darryl said.
"Oh... sorry... it's just-..."She paused, unsure how to word it but the man seemed to get it.
"I used to do construction, but I took a class that led to this and it was a more sound way to support my wife and our little girls..." Darryl explained.
At the same time, two in particular hated the look and feel of their costumes. It was Sam and Dash, but for different reasons. Sam, because her fairy queen costume was really anti-goth and Dash because, well, it literally had a donkey head for his own costume.
"I swear... soon as this play is done, I am taking a hot bath for hours..." Dash complained.
"Same here..." Sam said before looking to Darryl. "Does this outfit come in black?..."She asked, hating the bright colors of her fairy queen costume.
Darryl, however, frowned and sent rather hateful thoughts in her direction.
"No. And if you made any alterations... you and I will have a problem..." He warned, looking like he was not above getting into an argument with a minor.
Sam wisely chose to say nothing.
"I'll just vomit away from them..." She muttered.
"Yeah, you bettuh!..." Darryl warned before storming away, head held high.
Sam, despite hating the costume, decided not to toss it aside as to avoid Darryl's Brooklyn rage.
Later
The rehearsals continued and soon Sam was forced to practice her own scene...with Dash/Bottom.
Both teenagers really didn't want to do this, but Lancer didn't give them any choice, and since neither student which to risk having the vice principal making arrangements of having them do manual labor, they did as they were told, which was easier said than done.
They had to hold each other, which they hated. Both cringed at being so close to each and touching.
"I hate this more than that stupid costume..." Sam muttered.
"Don't touch the hair..." Dash complained.
"Shut it! You're a donkey! Or more accurately, a ja-..."
"Ms. Manson!..." Lancer called out.
"Ja-ock. He's a jock..." Sam lied.
The teacher didn't look like he believed her and sent her an "I'm watching you" gesture to know he'll be watching. The goth girl groaned as she continued to recite the line with Dash of all people.
"On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee..."Sam said, making a face over what she was saying to Dash, who looked lost, and a bit creeped out from hear that come from her of all people.
"Uh..."Dash tried to remember his line and quickly looked at his script. "Muhthinks, mistress, you should have little reason for that... uh... and yet to say the truth and...uh...reason and...uh...something..."Dash recited poorly and without much effort and already making more blunders with his words.
Mr. Lancer pinched his forehead in frustration and sighed.
"One line in and he's already made a fool of himself. This is karma for turning a blind eye, isn't it?..."He muttered, seeing that this rehearsal might take awhile.
Others actors had left the backstage. Knowing that Dash and Sam's scene will take up more time than they think, so they decided to sit back.
"Is it possible he's getting dumber as we get older?..."Jazz theorized as Dash kept blundering his lines and making an idiot of himself.
"Probably..." Tucker said.
Unknown to them, another was watching.
"That oaf is making the original Bottom look like an acting master... but I bet I could spruce things up just a bit faster..."A voice said, sounding mischievous.
Later
Rehearsals continued and everyone back stage either practice their lines or were on break. They were currently practicing a scene between the fairy king and Puck, one of the students looked ready for action while the other one did not.
"There no inconceivable way this could get any more embarrassing..."Tucker muttered, hating the tights he'll have to wear.
All the while, Danny and Star took a break and wanted to see if they could get a moment alone with each other to de-stress themselves, while Star's mother kept trying to show her help.
"Oh Star, Danny! Could you two please spare a moment for me?..."Stella asked.
"What, Mom?..."Star asked.
"Just a moment..."Stella said, as Darryl had to talk to her about the in-voice for the costumes.
"Why is she still here?..."Danny asked, wondering what his girlfriend's mother could want here.
"I have no idea. Hopefully she'll leave after..."Star said, really not enjoying this.
Soon enough, her mom finished talking to Darryl and went to talk to her daughter.
"So, I have a favor to ask..."Stella said.
"Let's hear it, mom..."Star said, only to get interrupted.
"Mrs. Bevier. Can you come here for a moment? I wanted to ask more about the costumes...and to be clear that you will be covering the invoice..."Mr. Lancer said, calling her attention.
"I'll be right there, Mr. Lancer..."Stella said before turning to the teenage couple.
"Back in a tic..."She said as she went to speak with him.
Star sighed.
"Parents at school...nothing worse than that..."She muttered under her breath.
"I know your pain, babe..."Danny said, recalling the many times his folks embarrassed him at school.
"I'm gonna get a soda. With luck it's the one soda that can knock me out..."Star said as she got up and went to get one.
She went to a vending machine that was near the entrance and purchased one. Unknown to her, someone had placed a small plant near it and examined it.
"I SO needed this..."Star said as she took a sip of the soda and began to head back to her boyfriend.
However, she also noticed a nearby plant that was just near her feet. It was kind of old and wilted but it was there.
"What? Where did this come from?..."Star said as she went to get a closer look.
Danny, who went to meet up with her, knew exactly what that plant was from something Johnathan showed him once and immediately went to Star's aid. He ran to her and pulled her back.
"Star, no!..."He yelled at her, making her stop before she accidentally endangered herself.
Star stared at him like he did something crazy.
"Danny, what's wrong?..."She asked, not seeing it.
As her boyfriend pointed at the plant, her mother had finished talking to the teacher and went back to them. She then saw what had happened, gasped in horror and ran to her daughter's side. She looked to Star's hand.
"Star, no! That's pigweed!..."Stella warned.
"AHHHH!..."Star screamed as she backed away from the plant before anything happened to her.
"Star!..."Danny said as he checked to her to see if she's okay.
"What's wrong?!..."Jazz asked as she came to see what problem was.
"I'm super, SUPER allergic to pigweed! If I touch it, I swell up like a beach ball, I get watery eyes, my skins starts blistering and I get hives! It lasts hours!..."Star said, glad that she didn't touch that thing.
Thankfully, she had no blistering and her breathing was still the same but she was still on edge. She clung to Danny's arm, looking nervous.
"Me too. It's a family allergy on my side. I got it from my mother..."Stella said in worry as she checked her daughter.
"Are you okay? Do you need to go to a doctor or something?!..."Danny asked in concern.
"I'm fine as long as I don't directly touch that thing. Please get rid of that thing, Danny-boo..."Star said, keeping a distance from it as she and her mother are both were unable to do so themselves without risk of touching the horrible weed.
"On it..."Danny said as he took the plant and threw it outside.
Once he was done, he quickly washed and disinfected his hands and went back to his girlfriend. He didn't want to risk any piece of it on him.
"Don't know how pretty you'd be if you were swollen like a balloon..."He said.
"Not very much..."Star said, not thinking he would want to see that.
"Even so...Let's take you to the nurse, just to be safe..."She said, worried for her child.
"I should probably check too..."She added the last part as she and Danny lead Star to the nurses office.
Tucker and Sam both looked concerned for Star and her mother's well-being, while also wanting an excuse to leave, causing Lancer to bolt out of his seat.
"Where are you two going?..."He demanded.
"Gonna check on Star and make sure that she and her mom are okay..."They both shouted and were already out the door before he could say anything.
"Just for that... I'm making sure they double down on their lines..."The teacher/director said, seeing right through their excuses.
After rubbing his temples, he turned around and had everyone go back to practicing lines as he didn't want to waste any more time. Everyone but Dash, unsurprising, were at least adequate so far.
A few minutes later
In the nurse's office.
The nurse was looking over Star and even Stella. Once done, she smiled at Star right now.
"Well, no worries Star. You and your mother seem to be doing fine. Thankfully you both got away from the pigweed before either of you could lay hand on it or breathe in any of its pollen to effect on either of you..."The nurse said.
"Really?..."Star asked.
"Of course, you didn't directly have any contact with that plant, so neither you nor your mother will be suffering from any bad reactions to it..."The nurse said.
"Thank goodness. The last thing I want is for my child to get an allergic reaction from that disgustingly horrid plant...again..."Stella said with a sign of relief.
"Mom..."Star said, sending her a warning look.
"Right, right... in the past..."Stella said, recalling the last time she was exposed to that plant and how unpleasant it was.
Danny wanted to ask, but Star held her hand up.
"Another time..." She said.
"How did pigweed even get into the auditorium and just why was it even so close to Star in the first place? It'd have to be someone who wanted to hurt her..."Tucker said, as he noticed that all eyes were on him.
Star frowned.
"As if we didn't already know..."She muttered, knowing who the prime suspect is.
Stella heard this and almost had a troubled look on her face.
"No...no...it can't be Colette..I mean...I know that you two don't get along but...she wouldn't do something that would send you to the hospital..."Stella said, but everyone sent her the "are you kidding me?"look.
"Really?..." Sam asked.
"What?..."Stella asked, questioning why were all the teenagers were staring at her funny.
"It's kind of her thing to ruin my life..."Star said, scowling at her mother.
"It is? I mean...I know you both quarrel a lot but...this...this is an extreme accusation..."Stella said, earning an eye roll.
"Mom, you can not be that oblivious. It's got her name all over it..."Star said, looking furious as her mother still seemed to be in denial to what was going on.
Sam nodded in agreement, looking to Stella with a sharp glare.
"Mrs. B...You're stepdaughter is a total psycho and has very little concern for anyone other than herself. She's not exactly liked by us and it's mutual. This is so something she'd do..."Sam said flatly, being very blunt on her opinion on the rotten rich girl.
Stella looked offended upon hearing that and rejected the goth girl's negative view on her stepdaughter.
"Look...I know you all don't get along well with Colette, but it's not fair to condemn her without any proof. Beside we still don't really know who brought this revolting weed in the first place. You can't just assume it was her. Remember what your father said Star, everyone is innocent until proven guilty..."Stella said, wanting to believe in her step-daughter's innocence.
"She's not wrong, we have no proof..." Danny points out.
"Doesn't mean she didn't do it and I'm gonna get all the proof I need..."Star said in anger as she stormed out.
"Star, where are you going?..."Stella asked as she followed her out of the nurse's office.
"To find Colette and ask her what she's been up to...with my fists!..."Star said, raising one fist to prove her point.
Stella gasped as she realized what she meant.
"You're actually intending to hurt her on school grounds...with your own bare hands?!..."The blonde woman asked, appalled.
"Yes!..."Star said in a not caring way, as she kept walking and not even bothering to turn around and face her mother.
Star kept stomping away while her mother kept trying to reason with her.
"Young lady, we still have no proof who brought that unsightly plant! You can't just resort to threats and violence with others whenever you think your step-sister may or may not have pulled an unfunny prank. At least not without hearing her side of the story, do you hear me?!..."Stella asked, trying to talk to the stubborn teenage girl.
"Hear you, yeah...listening, no!..."Star said as she continued to ignore her mother and hunt down her step sister.
Stella followed quickly.
"Estelle Joy Strong! Come back here right now! At least let me talk to her first!..."The blonde woman yelled but soon they were both gone.
"Poor Star..."Danny said, feeling sympathetic to his lady love.
"I'll say, she's probably gonna get grounded for what she's about to do...though I'm not sure how much her mom can punish her since she doesn't live with her...and I really don't know how much her dad is actually gonna punish her when he finds out about this..."Tucker commented, while Danny worried more for his girl.
"At least it'll be worth watching..."Sam said, wanting to see this and have an excuse not to go back to rehearse her lines with Dash.
They soon followed the two blonde females, hoping this will finally knock that bratty snob in her proper place.
Both figuratively and literally speaking.
-To be continued-
Next time on Staged
Drama on Stage II
A/N(1): I dedicate this chapter to my family, my friends and my love for God :)
A/N(2): Special thanks to NeoMark and Jay the Average Fanboy for helping out with this chapter. You guys rock :)
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewer:
Eecobeo: Thank you :)
RonaldM40196867:
1) Romeo and Juliet.
2) You have a good point.
3) It's both that, and because he's a jerk.
4) I see.
5) Most likely.
6) I'll think about it.
7) Hard to say, she is more disgusted with Mikey and irritated by Dash and his stupidity.
8) No spoilers.
9) Dash is, Paulina is only barely passing by.
10) Yeah.
Saberwolf335: Sorry, no spoilers. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.
Danifan3000:
1) I see your point.
2) I see.
Pokemon fan 1991: Thank you :)
1) Sorry, no spoilers. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.
2) I see him either with a dog-like miraculous or an owl-like one.
3) Chloe.
4) Yeah.
5) Ladybug.
6) Not sure.
Invader Johnny: We shall see happens.
Jebest4781: Thank you :)
SuperSonicBros123: Thank you :)
Luiz4200: Yeah.
CZS4: Thank you :)
Hmilles02: Thank you :)
Here are my responses to your questions:
1) No.
2) It would definitely be different, and I doubt that they would be as helpful as Sam and Tucker would be.
3) I think it would be in the Ghost Zone.
4) He either remained stranded as a space nomad or got captured by aliens.
5) The fact that she still hasn't given up on Danny is probably it.
James Birdsong: Thank you :)
:) I hope you enjoyed this! Remember to read and review :)
