SetsuntaMew: Aw, thank you! And you're not stupid just because you can't say anything else in a review!
X: Intagi-Betty, yes. They're certainly creative, aren't they?
LadyMaundrell: No prob. And thank you for the compliment! And yes, there is more to it... you'll see that in this chapter. As for the ep-quality, that's what I'm going for; an AU version of the show were Sam picked up powers in "Doctor's Disorders." It shows that I'm on the right track. And yes, poor Jazz. Especially in this chapter. She'll show up throughout the rest of the fic, too. And yes, it certainly was a good impression, huh?
Riverfox237: Thank you! Jazz is a bit tragic in that regard I suppose, yeah...
Kraven the Hunter: Well, yeah. I'm trying to avoid the predictable. :-D
Alexa Daley: Thanks for the kind comments!
Okay gang, a disclaimer: As it's painfully obvious this is an AU, the events after "Doctor's Disorders" are going to be ignored for the most part in the fic. In today's episode, the bane of D/S shippers gets hers... ;-P
"What's the matter, kids? Afraid of heights?"
Jazz Fenton, or "Tightrope" as she was currently known, smirked as she approached the bound Danny Phantom and Sammy Spectre on a ghostly high wire. What had started as a rare, fun day at Casper High had quickly deteriorated by the return and the new, mass overshadowing ability of an old nemesis.
"That's it, Tightrope!" Freakshow hissed. "Destroy the little whelps!" he urged, clenching a fist. Below lay the circus equipment, manned by ghosts.
"Don't these people have anything better to do than telling each other to destroy us?" Sam groaned as she struggled at her restraints.
"Apparently not," Danny replied. He quickly cast his eyes below to see the gymnasium under siege; strongman Dash chasing those still unpossessed, bearded lady Valerie snaring others with her beard, and elephant man Kwan trying to stomp fleeing students into the floor. The twitching wire brought his attention back to the leotarded Jazz, eyes blood red, smiling as she approached them with a "test your strength" mallet.
"You two got into the big top without a ticket," Jazz scolded as she made her way across the final few yards of rope. "You'll have to pay up for that..."
"Sure," Sam replied. "You take cash? Credit? Plasma?" With that, she brought up a free hand and blasted the mallet from Jazz's hand. The possessed teenager growled and started bolting down the wire. Danny kicked her in the chest, and she tumbled off the wire.
"Danny Fenton, why did you do that?" Sam snapped. "She's your sister!"
"Since when does my sister fly?" Danny replied as he nodded below. An enraged Jazz screamed up from below, holding a sword from a sword-swallowing booth.
"You jerks!" Jazz spat as she dove at them. The two halfas jerked away at the last second, and the sword severed the phase proof ropes. They quickly took leave of them with a grin.
"You know, you guys should really just KILL people you don't like instead of setting up an elaborate trap," Sam smirked to Freakshow. "You guys clearly haven't seen any James Bond movies."
"I've seen enough to know not to turn my back on my opponent," the ghostly ringmaster snapped back. Sam whirled to see Jazz screaming towards her. She avoided being skewered, but the weapon tore through the side of her arm. Sam hissed and grabbed the wound, gooey ectoplasm leaking from it. Danny immediately flew towards her to see the damage.
"I'm fine!" the teenager replied, shaking her head. "Take care of P. T. Barnum over there!" she continued as she pulled back. Danny opened fire on Freakshow, shocking the ghost. The boy grabbed the scepter and broke it over his knee. Below, the released kids looked up at the dueling ghosts and fled. Two girls stayed behind; Paulina put her hands to her face in terror, while Valerie ducked to find a place to hide.
"That," Danny snarled, "was for the crap you pulled at the circus."
"And that," Freakshow shot back, "is for breaking my scepter. Danny heard a scream as a now normal Jazz screamed and plunged towards the floor. The halfa sped to and snatched his big sister from becoming floor pizza. Defeated, Freakshow assured him that he would have his revenge, then vanished.
"Da- I, uh, mean, dah! I've been caught by Inviso-Bill!" Jazz swooned. "Oh, woe is me! Someone help me!"
"Oh, shut up Ja- uh, ja weird kid!" Danny put Jazz down, who feigned running away in abstract terror. "She is such a drama queen," Danny groaned as Sam set down beside him.
"Did she recognize you?" Sam asked, rubbing her arm. "I thought I heard her say your name..."
"So did I," Danny gulped. "I'm hoping I was hearing things... how's the arm?" he asked, pulling Sam's hand away gently.
"I think I got nicked," Sam said. "I should be okay when we change back..."
"You ain't ever gonna be okay," a voice growled over a jet engine. Danny and Sam whirled around to see Valerie taking aim on them.
"My 'benefactor' told me to tell you this is for damaging his house," she continued as she prepared to squeeze the trigger. A chunk of debris hit her in the head. "Hey!" she snapped, whirling to face her attacker.
"You leave him alone!" Paulina cried as she hurled everything within reach at Valerie. One lodged in her board's exhaust, causing the craft to shake. If her eyes were visible, she would be glaring daggers.
"Danny..." Sam asked.
"Yeah, Sam?"
"Is... Paulina saving us?"
"I think so..." Danny replied.
"I'll be back for you," the teen growled as she flew out an open window. Smiling victoriously, Paulina turned towards her "Inviso-Bill." The smile faded as he noticed what he was doing.
"Are you... holding hands with that thing?" the Latino gaped.
"Yes, he is," Sam snarked. "Sorry, kid. This boy's taken." She smirked, then gave Danny a kiss on the lips. The boy blushed. Paulina clenched her fists and ground her teeth, seething. "Buh-bye now!" Sam added as the two dashed under the bleachers. Paulina was too busy muttering a string of curses in Spanish to notice the flashes, but she did notice what came running out.
"Oh, if it isn't the dweebs," she sniffed.
"Is it gone?" Danny asked, feigning fear.
"Yeah," Sam gulped. "Circuses scare me."
"Yeah, he's gone. Now, leave me alone, okay? I'm really upset!" Paulina scowled, turning around. She crossed her arms in a huff. The two ran out of the gymnasium, leaving the girl to stew.
"Ooh, that's so unfair!" Paulina whined, stomping her foot. "Why should that new ghost get my 'Inviso-Bill!' I wish I had some way to destroy her!"
Amidst the girders above, a grin crept across an invisible witness. It was about time someone had said that. Especially regarding that bratty rich girl. She had foiled her when she was so close to revenge and ultimate power... now, it was time for revenge not only on her, but her boyfriend. She waved her arms with a cold smile.
"As you wished it... so shall it be!"
Below, Paulina shuddered for a moment, then opened her eyes wide. Eyes that were neon yellow and reptilian.
"I dunno, Danny, I thought your sister looked nice in a leotard..."
"Don't you ever say that again, Tuck," Danny growled as he jerked to a stop, jabbing an accusing finger at his friend.
"Ah, lighten up!" Tucker shot back.
"Fine, I'll make sure Jazz hears about it," Danny muttered as they stopped at Sam's locker. Sam yanked at the handle, grumbling.
"Stupid low-bidder junk," Sam spat. "It never works." Looking around for a moment to see if the coast was clear, the teenager phased her arm through the door and grabbed her book bag. "Welp, I've had enough academic excitement for one day... how about you?" she asked the two boys as she slung the bag on.
"Don't need to ask me twice," Danny replied as the three walked towards the steps. "How about you, Tuck?"
"Nah, I got a report to catch up on. I'll see ya later," Tucker replied as he waved them off. Shrugging, the halfas walked outside.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you," Danny asked as they walked down the steps.
"You're darn right I did," Sam grinned. "She deserved it for all the crap she's pulled. Especially at the dance," the Goth growled as she clenched a fist.
"Sam, that wasn't you..." Danny sighed. "Do we have to go through this again? I mean, it was a year ago..."
"It used my body, Danny. My anger. It was me." The anger drained out of Sam's voice as it filled instead with guilt. She hung her head slightly in sadness.
"It's okay Sam," Danny replied as he pulled her close. "I still love ya."
"Well, I guess that's all that matters." She smiled weakly. She was leaning in to kiss him when clouds of mist floated gently from their mouths. "Darnit!" she snapped.
"Oh, what's wrong, little girl? Trouble in paradise?" a voice mocked. With a puff of smoke, a figure appeared.
"Desiree," they muttered.
"Guilty as charged, I'm afraid."
"What do you want..." Danny sighed in exasperation.
"Personally? I want someone to wish you to spontaneously burst into flames," the young woman said, causally filing her fingers with her thumbnail. "Having a terminal illness would also be g--"
"Okay, okay, you want us to die in a horribly humiliating way," Sam interrupted, rolling her eyes. "We get the point."
"Do you," Desiree replied. Over their shoulders, she saw Paulina wander out of the school, looking to the ground in disgust. "Go ahead, you two. Turn into ghosts. I dare you. Right now."
"Why should we?" Danny asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Because I'll... make someone wish your sister has an unfortunate car accident on her way home from school today."
"Nice try," the boy said as he crossed his arms. A beat passed. "Uh, can you really do that?"
"One way to find out..." Desiree smirked as she took aim on a nearby student. "Isn't that Brenna Thistle? I hear she doesn't care much for dear old Jasmine..."
"Okay, okay!" Danny cried. Danny and Sam dove out of sight into some nearby bushes after shooting daggers, and transformed. Still on the steps, Paulina suddenly whirled her head around towards the bush. An inhuman growl came from her throat as she suddenly transformed into the Aragon dragon... without the amulet.
"Okay, Desiree," Danny muttered. "What's your plan this time?"
"Turn around. And, bid 'Sammy-Wammy' here goodbye." With that, the young woman vanished, laughing.
"'Sammy... Wammy?" Sam said with a raised eyebrow. "I swear, the people and ghosts in this town absolutely bite at nick--" A roar interrupted Sam's diatribe. The two whirled around to see a massive dragon charging at them. Danny felt Sam's heart and brain screech to a grinding halt in terror via their psychic connection. "...not again..." the girl whimpered.
"EVIL GIRL!" the dragon screamed, snatching Sam off the ground. The girl screamed and struggled to break free. Danny took flight and unloaded a plasma ball into the attacker's face. It roared in pain, dropping Sam.
"Don't even THINK about hurting her," Danny hissed. "He quickly dropped back down to his better halfa, who was scrambling to her feet. "You okay, Sam?"
"Am I okay? Besides being face to face with one of my deepest miseries? Oh, sure, Danny, I'm perfectly f--" Sam was cut off as the beast swat her across the lawn and through a window in the upper story of Casper High.
"'...which is why Churchill ordered a retaliatory strike on Berlin.'"
Tucker sighed as he leaned back and rubbed his weary eyes. Winston Churchill may have been one of the most influential figures of the past century, but that didn't make an eight page paper any easier to type. With another sigh, he continued. "'Enraged at the bombing of the capital of the Third Reich, Hitler...'" Tucker's typing about the infamous Austrian ground to a halt as Sam came sailing through a window and slammed against the wall.
"Sam! Are you okay?" Tucker cried as he raced to his friend's side.
"Do I LOOK okay!" the Goth snapped back.
"Hey, no need to yell!" Tucker said defensively.
"Right, right, sorry Tuck." She glanced up from the floor. "Is that what you're working on?" she asked, pointing to the huge stack of books on the floor.
"Yup," Tucker replied with a note of both pride and annoyance. "Churchill and World War Two."
"Well, while I'd love to stay and talk about a fat, old British guy kicking Nazi butt," Sam replied as she brushed herself, "I've got a trauma to fight." With that, she jumped up and flew out the window.
"Trauma to fight?" Tucker muttered to himself.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
Danny groaned as he was swatted against the ground again and again, wrapped in the dragon's tail. After the sixth time, his eyes blazed green.
"Okay, Puff, that's enough!" he snapped as he fired at the creature's eyes. It roared in agony, releasing the smaller ghost. Danny flew up to see Sam rocketing out of the school. He immediately fell in beside her.
"You okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah. A little banged up, b-- Sam, below you!" Danny screamed. Sam looked down to see the dragon's jaws snapping around her. It swallowed, and a small bulge slipped down its throat. The beast grinned.
"NO MORE! NO MORE EVIL GIRL!" Danny clenched his fists, grit his teeth, and glared daggers at the creature. If he had laser eyes, they would have turned the dragon into finely minced taco stuffing.
"You monster. You utter, utter mo--" Before he could call her a more powerful curse, the beast keeled over, as if it were squirming with a case of heartburn. It coughed up a lump of saliva, which staggered to its feet.
"Handy tip, Danny..." Sam said as she held up a finger. "If you're ever eaten by a ghost dragon, blow its stomach up. They don't like 'Plasma Salsa.'" She paused. "I need to be hosed off when this is over."
"Seems like a good idea," Danny agreed. "Now, I think we should kick Trogdor's butt."
"With pleasure," Sam promised as her eyes blazed. As the two opened fire once again, the dragon swatted them with a massive paw. The small halfas were hurled hard against the school's brick wall. Danny and Sam sat up, literally screaming in rage with iris-less green eyes. The two seemed to melt, and turned into a bluish-purple dragon. It roared angrily and charged the first dragon. It slashed the attacker across the face. The hybrid dragon pawed at its face as neon green blood trickled from the wounds. Undeterred, the new dragon dove up on the first and chomped at its neck. It screamed and shook the biter from side to side, struggling to free itself.
Tucker ran out of the school, agape at what he saw. There were two huge ghost dragons tearing Casper High's grounds to shreds, but Danny and Sam were nowhere to be seen. He looked at the fighting creatures. One was a bright green, but the other was a hue of blue and purple. In fact, they were almost the same hue of...
"Danny? Sam?" Tucker called nervously as the Technicolor dragon landed in front of him on its back. Its head whirled towards him.
"GO AWAY! GO AWAY!" the dragon screeched in a harsh mixture of his friends' voices. He was starting to wonder just how much of them were still inside the monster when it took flight again, ramming the other dragon with its head. Both recoiled and fell to the ground. It was clear neither dragon could keep this up much longer.
"I'm not getting through to them..." Tucker muttered to himself. "But, maybe if I removed what's ticking them off, they'd at least calm down." He pulled a Fenton thermos out of his book bag and took aim on the green dragon. Tucker cursed to himself as he realized he was out of range and would have to get closer. Only problem was he had no idea how to do that and stay alive. Taking a deep breath, he ran forward, aiming the thermos.
The green dragon roared as it was caught in the vortex. Tucker was confused about how the beast was being pulled inside; it looked more like someone having a costume pulled off them than a ghost behind defeated. Suddenly, with a spectral ripping sound, the "costume" came away, revealing a very confused and angry Paulina hanging in the air. She collapsed to the ground and passed out. As for the dragon, it bellowed in rage as it went into the portal like water down a drain. As its tail vanished, Tucker clamped the thermos shut and cast a wary eye at the other dragon. It still looked very, very mad. Tucker gulped.
"Hi. Me Tucker. Me friend. Friend." The creature roared at him. "Guys! Don't do that! And see a dentist, that can't be healthy!" The dragon raised one of its paws, as if to smash Tucker flat, when it trembled and fell onto its side as if it had been slain. He heard a groan to his left; Paulina was coming around.
"Ooh. What was that, and did it harm my near-perfect complex-- Eek! The dragon thing!" With that she ran off screaming. Tucker turned back to the dragon to see it dissolve and shrink, reforming as Danny and Sam, unconscious. He ran over to them.
"Guys? Guys, wake up..." he urged. After a moment, their eyes fluttered.
"What hit me..." they muttered simultaneously.
"Let's just say you guys were in a land called Hanalee," Tucker replied as he helped them up.
"Did you say 'Hanalee?'" Danny asked, rubbing his neck.
"As in... Puff's Hanalee?" Sam gulped.
"Yeah, I'm afraid so. And, guys... I couldn't be sure, but before you snapped out of it... I think you we--" Tucker's confession was interrupted by a piece of popcorn falling to the ground. The trio looked up to see Desiree reclining in an easy chair, holding popcorn and a soda with a dejected look on her face.
"It was just getting good! Thanks a LOT, kid," she sniffed at Tucker.
"It's pretty safe to say I'm not gonna lose sleep over it," the bereted one replied as he crossed his arms. Desiree huffed.
"You're such a poor sport. But, I suppose I do have a consolation prize," the woman continued. "It seems the little heroes have a bit of a... beast inside them." Desiree grinned.
"Shut up, you fat cow..." Danny grumbled. Sam blinked for a moment, then slowly looked up at the ghost with an evil smile. I don't like the way this is going... Desiree thought to herself.
"I wish you would be made useful on some ghost farm for the next, say, year. And by that, I mean as livestock." Desiree gulped.
"As you've wished it," the young woman whimpered, "so shall it be." In a flash, the unfortunate wish giver turned into a ghost cow. She mooed pathetically before vanishing in a puff of smoke.
"Well, that was fun," Sam said after a moment.
"Yeah. Say, where'd the dragon go anyway?" Danny asked.
"Well, I got half of it here... the other half just went home, crying about its skin condition," Tucker replied. Brows furrowed.
"Paulina? I thought Danny got rid of that stupid thing," Sam sighed.
"I did. It must have just been something Desiree did," Danny replied. "I wouldn't worry about it, Sam. C'mon, let's go home," he urged as he took her by the hand. "Anything you wanna do this afternoon?" Sam puckered her lips in thought before she smiled slyly.
"Oh, I have an idea for later..." Sam replied. "I just hope the stuff Freakshow brought is still lying around in the gym..."
"I already don't like where this is going," Danny muttered. He looked over his shoulder. "Hey Tuck, ya coming?"
"Sure, why not. I've had enough warfare for a day," the teen replied. He ran after them as a disconcerting feeling washed over him while making his way out of the massive, dragon shaped crater.
"Good morning, everyone!" Paulina trilled the next day. At the sound of her voice, the denizens of Casper High turned to face the speaker. They boggled and stared at her, uncomprehending of the sight before them. "What?" Paulina asked. She stiffened. "Is it a zit or a mole? Tell me!"
"Oh gee, I dunno, Bozo, maybe you should check out a mirror..." Kwan drawled. Paulina frowned.
"A mirror? Why would I need to do that?" she mumbled as she went into the girls' room. There was a blood-curdling scream, and Paulina ran out of the bathroom and down the hall, her clown costume flapping in the breeze behind her. She passed a certain trio in her mad dash.
"Samantha Manson, you sadistic monster," Danny breathed.
"Is it my fault that suddenly appeared in her room and something... possessed her to wear it, Danny?" Sam said, batting her eyes.
"I suppose stuff like this is why I love ya," he replied.
"Oh, you better," Sam countered, hands on her hips. Tucker hemmed for a minute as she smiled. "What is it?" Sam asked.
"Speaking of monster... there was something I meant to tell you before you went all Clarabelle Cow on Desiree," the boy said. "It's about yesterday. When you guys were still that mega dragon... I got the impression you wanted to hurt me." Danny and Sam blinked and got off of the lockers.
"What... did you just say?" Sam choked.
"You were about to smash me flat when Paulina ran off. I tried to calm you down... but, you didn't listen to me." He hanged his head. "I should have told you earlier, guys. I'm sorry."
"Then... we're not able to control this?" Danny asked.
"Not from what I could see. When you guys are angry, ghost, and right next to each other... something happens."
"What are we gonna do, Danny?" Sam asked with a gulp. "We can't just... stop keeping everyone safe and watching each other's back..."
"I wish I knew, Sam," Danny replied as he pulled her close. "I wish I knew."