Ahh… time for the much-awaited chapter four!
As for this update, the only reason I had it so soon is because some people broke a barometer and spilled mercury in my school, so it's closed while it is decontaminated! Yay! So that's who you can thank for this update…
Ah, the reviewers! And on that note, this is the most I've ever received for a chapter. Probably because I've left it so long in updating. It's a good thing I can swim, because I nearly drowned in the praise ;)
GIR's Cupcake: Congratulations, you've just won my 'Longest Review Ever' award! I'm just glad that you like my story that much. Elated, really :D Foreshadowing is probably my favorite literary technique, and I use it a lot. And it's good to know I've been keeping everyone in character; personally I think that's the hardest part of writing fanfiction.
Purple Ghost Sausage: Yes, that's one of the many things I've been considering in this story. You'll be seeing the effects of that in the next chapter, I believe. But for now, I'll give you this as an answer to your question: Can Danny still use his ghost powers when he's human?
crazyvi: Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you've liked it so far!
iamratgirl: The parts always come out as soon as I can write them. Consequently, I usually update fast!
EvilRobotZombieLoofaOverlord: Yes, my second fanfiction. But I've lost count of the stories I've written before this, whether it is for an English assignment or for fun, so I'm not really new to writing. Anyway, I'm glad you like it. And wow, you have a long name
Moonbay: Yep, everyone loves my writing style. Thank you :)GlowingGreenEyes: Yes, sadly, there are far too many poorly-written DP fics out there, bearing a confusing (and pointless) plot, with all the characters out of character and an OCXDanny pairing. (Um, no offense to anyone else who might be reading this, OK?) I tolerate OC's (heck, look at Tammy!) but I hate the utterly predictable and uncreative plots many have. And OCXDanny makes me want to strangle someone, preferably the OC. Gah, I'm ranting! Anyway, thanks for the review! And the shower :P
CrazyCosmoFan: Hah! What a coincidence ;) Hope you get well soon!leilanisangel: I hope it does more than just sound good, but I'm glad you like it and thanks for the review!
Anyway, thanks everyone for the wonderful reviews! This took up a whole page in Word! Well, here comes the story (after the disclaimer, of course!).
Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom.
Chapter 4: Questions Raised
Danny copied the characters on the box, for the fifth time, in his bright green ink. It didn't help; he had the symbols memorized but was no closer to being able to read them than he was to getting an A on his science test next week.
Yes, he knew he should be studying. He'd even opened the textbook and began reading, but the words kept slipping through his mind. When, half an hour later, he'd read the same sentence three dozen times without taking a single word in, Danny gave up and went to look at his notes. It wasn't as if that was more helpful. In fact, it was probably making his futile attempts to study even worse.
Danny had dejectedly given up, and began practicing with the strange new ghost power of writing in green ink. And now that was becoming as pointless as his study attempts.
In a way, he half-wished a ghost would show its ugly face around here, just to give him something to do that didn't require much concentration. Even the Box Ghost.
Danny sighed deeply, and pulled out his essay on the Revolutionary War.
Tucker groaned and leaned back in his chair.
The techno-geek had spenta good part of the evening looking up various scripts on the web. Namely, ghost scripts.
He'd been sorting through various languages written in characters; Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, Greek, even Egyptian hieroglyphics. And he'd found...nothing.
Tucker sighed and clicked on the very last hyperlink at the bottom of the page. He might as well try at least one more website...
Scrolling down and ignoring several pop-ups, he groaned again. Most of this was the blog of some archaeologist on his discoveries of cave paintings. The pictures mostly showed stick figures holding spears and chasing jagged-lined buffalo; Tucker found it very amusing.
Tucker laughed through sixty-two entries, spanned over seven pages. On the last page, beneath the final two posts, there was several links to other websites. A picture next to the second from the bottom link showed some symbols that looked somewhat vaguely like the symbols on the lid. Most importantly, they were written in green.
Tucker clicked; it was the best lead he had so far and he didn't intend to waste it.
The hyperlink took him to a page that proclaimed: server down. The techno-geek clicked the back button, and tried the link two more times, each time getting an identical message.
He was very annoyed now. Tucker threw down the mouse angrily, then made sure that he hadn't harmed it.
The mouse was still working, and the cursor rested over the picture of the green symbols. The arrow had turned into a pointing hand, such as cursors do when they are placed over a hyperlink. Tucker was quick to click the picture.
No 'server down' message was displayed. The page was black, and the text was dark gray. Tucker groaned and turned the contrast up; why do people always make it so hard to read?
There was a title, which read simply: Mysterious Green Language. The title was followed by a short paragraph.
'Signs of a language yet unknown to us promotes the idea of another culture, evidently incredibly advanced for their time. The script consists of complicated hieroglyphs, although is not reminiscent of any known language to use characters. For reasons unknown, it is only written in a slightly luminous green ink, which is believed to be formed from some sort of fungus. No known translation of this language currently exists.'
This paragraph was followed by various digital photographs of the script, as well as a list of all the characters identified by examples of the language.
Tucker scribbled down the address, then picked up his telephone and dialed Danny's number.
It was busy. Tucker hang up the phone, thought a minute, and then dialed Danny's cell phone.
Danny started as his phone rang; it was on vibrate in his pocket and at maximum volume.
His History textbook fell to the floor, and Danny accidentally scratched a long, dark line with his pencil across the paper. He fished the still buzzing phone out of his pocket and flipped it open.
"Hello?" he asked, voice still shaking slightly from surprise.
"Hi, Danny? It's Tucker."
"Yeah, what's up?"
"I found a website about that green writing. D'you want me to e-mail it to ya?"
"Sure," Danny answered, placing the phone on his shoulder and holding it in place with his head while he turned the computer on. A few clicks later (accompanied by Tucker humming absently over the phone) and...
"Okay. Send it on over, Tuck."
Tucker complied, and Danny examined the webpage that popped up.
"Hmm, anything else?"
"Nope. Hey, why was your phone busy?" Tucker said curiously.
Danny laughed at this.
"Hah, bet it's Jazz," Danny smiled. "Talking to Alex."
Tucker laughed and hung up.
Danny closed the phone and placed it on his desk, then looked at the website.
Well, Danny thought, nothing I couldn't have figured out on my own. But at least it's something...
He picked up his history book from the floor, and erased the black line on his paper. Danny tapped the pencil against his chin thoughtfully, trying to remember what he had been writing about.
It was no use; Danny couldn't concentrate. He sighed. Then he gasped; his breath had turned momentarily blue.
Danny sighed again, transformed into his ghostly alter ego, and flew out the window.
Danny had flown for quite a while, and still caught no sight of the ghost.
Above him, the sky was in the throes of dusk. A few scattered clouds were tinged pinkish-orange, and a sliver of sun was still peeking over the horizon.
His breath turned blue again as he flew over the park. So the ghost was close.
And it was. Danny caught sight of the purple griffin he had fought three days ago.
"You again!" he exclaimed as he flew down to confront the creature.
The griffin gave its shrieking roar in reply.
"Ugh, try a breath mint, will ya?" Danny commented, feigning disgust.
"Hey, look! It's Inviso-bill! Everyone, run for your lives!" someone shouted below.
"That's not Inviso-bill. That's Danny Phantom; Inviso-bill is his evil twin," a woman said knowingly.
"Yesh, thatsh wight!" a little girl of about six or so added. "Invisho-bwill doeshn't haff a lwogo."
"The kid has a point," another man said. "Inviso-bill had the same costume, but he didn't have the logo."
Danny looked down at the arguing park full of citizens.
"Um, we can discuss my identity later!" he called to them. "Right now you might want to RUN! Overgrown purple feather dusters can be pretty dangerous!"
The people stopped arguing, looked at one another, and then ran off. A few screamed "GHOST!" for effect, and one or two called back, "Good luck, Phantom!" or "You can beat 'im, Danny!" in encouraging voices.
Danny smiled, and turned to the griffin.
"You don't get that kind of support, do you?" he asked. The griffin reared up and flared his wings, roaring.
"Ah, that's right, you're not much of a talker, are you?" Danny nimbly dodged the blast of blue fire and the raking claws. He reached behind his back for the Fenton Thermos, but... it wasn't there!
"Oh no! I left it behind!" Danny gasped, mentally kicking himself.
The griffin swiped at him while he was preoccupied with forgetting the thermos. Danny cried out in pain as the talons sliced into his shoulder, leaving two long rips in his sleeve and two thin, painful cuts in his arm.
"Ah-ow!" Danny cried. He gripped his arm, and winced as his hand came away covered in green ectoplasmic blood.
"All right, so if I can't bring the thermos to you, I'll just have to bring you to the thermos," he muttered.
Danny flew up to eye level with the griffin and stuck out his tongue.
"Nyah-nyah! Betcha can't catch me!"
The griffin rasped a loud roar at the childish taunt, and swiped a claw at Danny. The ghost-boy danced away from the claws and flew higher, just out of reach of both fire and talons.
"Nope, gonna have to try better'n that!" Danny taunted.
The griffin made a slight noise, like a sneeze, then roared and spread its wings, taking flight.
Danny quickly sped off with the griffin following him, weaving a tortuous path above rooftops. Despite its awkward appearance, the griffin was very agile and very fast.
But flying was one of Danny's specialties, and he managed to stay just out of reach; not so far ahead that the griffin would give up chasing him, but not too close to the pointed beak and razor-sharp talons.
"Almost there..." Danny said to himself as the unmistakable form of his house swam into view in the failing light.
Behind him, the griffin gave a loud rasping shriek. In fact, it was more of a cough than a shriek, but Danny was concentrating too hard on flying to notice the subtle difference.
The griffin made the strange wheezy sneezing noise again, then coughed. This time, however, Danny noticed.
He stopped and turned around just in time to see the red eyes close, the wings stop flapping. The griffin teetered over to one side and fell out of the air, onto a parked car. The car's alarm went off, and a few people screamed in surprise.
Danny flew down to where the griffin was. It didn't move, almost as if it were unconscious. Danny moved closer, and when nothing happened, poked it.
Danny jumped back almost immediately, expecting the griffin to lash out with its claws. But... it didn't.
Danny stared at it for a few minutes, then flew to his house, phased through the wall to his room, picked up the Fenton Thermos, and returned to the seemingly unconscious griffin.
Nothing had changed during the brief time he had been gone, except that there was now a small crowd of curious people surrounding the griffin and talking confusedly to one another.
Danny pulled the lid off the Fenton Thermos, almost ceremonially, and silently sucked the griffin into the depths of the long-used device. He screwed the lid back on, and stared at where the griffin had been for a few seconds, before making himself invisible and flying back to his room to finish his essay.
If Danny had found it difficult to concentrate before, then it was impossible now. He gave up trying to finish a paragraph on the Declaration of Independence and lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.
This had never happened before. When it came to fighting ghosts, he was usually the one to faint. Come to think of it, he'd never actually seen a true ghost loose consciousness. Danny hadn't even thought it was possible, that passing out was an unfortunate peculiarity to being half-ghost.
No time to brood on this, though, as a wisp of blue breath escaped his mouth for the second time that evening.
Danny sighed and slid off of his bed. He'd had a nice break from ghosts all weekend. In fact, it was one of the longest breaks he'd ever had, but Danny had been too preoccupied with a certain box lid to notice.
He muttered, "Going ghost..." half-heartedly to himself. It seemed almost pointless, really, as no one was around. He transformed and looked around for sign of the ghost; true night had fallen and Danny didn't want to fly around in the dark. With his luck, it was probably the stupid Box Ghost anyway.
And, sure enough...
"I am the Box Ghost!" came the faint cry from downstairs.
Danny groaned and phased through the floor into the kitchen, which was directly below his room. Danny peered around, and heard the ghost ranting from the basement.
"Well, you wanted some action tonight, Phantom," he muttered, then silently reprimanded himself for talking in third person and phased through the floor.
The Box Ghost was there, sure enough. He was next to a large cardboard box that had once housed some of the junk Danny had sold in an illicit garage sale for some cash so he could attend a party.
"I am the Box Ghost! And I shall harness your cardboard squareness-"
Danny cleared his throat loudly, and the Box Ghost stopped talking and looked up.
"Beware!" he cried, and the box flew towards Danny. Danny dodged and held up the Fenton Thermos, which he had remembered to bring with him.
"Would you like a parting 'Beware!', or should I just get rid of you now?" Danny asked.
Another box, smaller this time, flew towards Danny and knocked the thermos out of his hand.
"Ow!" Danny cried, shaking his hand to stop it from stinging. "Haven't I been injured enough today?" he appealed to the ceiling.
The Box Ghost suddenly coughed. Danny looked at him.
"Yes?" the ghost-boy asked. The Box Ghost coughed again and answered.
"C-cough- I am fleeing the accursed Sickness! Flee also, lest you fall to its sleeping lure!" he cried.
Danny was confused. The Box Ghost sounded almost fearful; Danny hadn't heard that tone in any ghost's voice since the Pariah Dark incident.
"Um, what?" he asked.
The Box Ghost coughed again, and suddenly fell to the floor in unconsciousness. Danny flew over, as baffled as ever.
"Danny?" a voice asked from the door.
Danny turned around to see Jazz standing there.
"Um, hi Jazz," he answered, looking back at the Box Ghost. He poked him, and the Box Ghost didn't move. Just like the griffin...
Jazz came over and looked at the Box Ghost.
"Um, what is that?" she asked.
"The Box Ghost. He, uh... Well, he likes boxes," Danny replied.
"Is, uh, is something wrong with him?" Jazz asked.
"Well, he's usually not the brightest at the best of times, but um... For all I know, he could be dead," Danny replied.
"He's already a ghost!" Jazz exclaimed.
"I noticed," Danny answered dryly. "Um, help me with this, will you?" Danny asked as he hefted the unconscious Box Ghost up. Jazz complied by opening the Fenton Portal.
Danny heaved the ghost through the portal, and Jazz closed it as he rubbed his hands.
"Danny, you're hurt!" Jazz exclaimed, concerned, and pointed at his shoulder.
Danny glanced at his arm.
"Oh, that happened earlier," he replied. "It's nothing to worry about, it's not like I haven't been hurt b-b-be-AHCHOO!" Danny sneezed. He suddenly didn't feel very well.
"You okay?" Jazz asked. Danny coughed into his hands.
"I'm fi-cough c-cough..." Danny elapsed into a small coughing fit. He regained control of his breathing, and looked up at Jazz, smiling weakly.
"Then again, maybe not. I think I might be coming down with a cold or so-"
Danny coughed again, very weakly, and collapsed to the ground. He transformed back into Danny Fenton almost immediately.
"Danny!" Jazz cried.
Awww... I can't be that evil and leave the story hanging here, now, can I? Well, apparently, I can! Mwa-ha-ha!
Anyway, I'll try to update as soon as I can. Until then...
Evilly suspenseful,
-E.P.