The rest of the day was no better. Danny went ghost and grabbed his three friends, turning invisible. He unlocked the door quietly, flying through the window to find a safe haven. He couldn't go to Tucker's house because of the paparazzi, looking for a small glimpse of the boy whose diary was now public, and Sam's house was no better with Paulina, Dash, and their crew.
So they all flew to a secluded part of the park, Danny not even bothering to change back to human form. They all sat on a nearby park bench, Danny placing his hands under his chin. "So what should we do? Other than be thankful Tuck is a terrible author, at least," the ghost asked, and everyone shrugged.
"Well, your parents were the only ones to find out, so you should be fine," Sam pointed out, but Danny shook his head.
"No, everyone knows Vlad's secret. Sooner or later he'll rat me out. I either tell everyone myself… Or he does, making me sound ten times worse," the white haired spirit announced grimly. He stood up, flying home and leaving the two friends alone.
Sam glanced at Tucker, noting the look on his face. "C'mon, Tuck. You can't blame yourself for this. Blame those evil cousins of yours," she said, smacking him on the head as if to clear it.
"So what should we do?" he asked, only to hear a ring on his PDA. Taking out his favorite gadget, he saw Danny's face appear on the screen.
"Alright Tuck, I have a plan. Here's what we do…" he started.
Everyone in City Hall was chatting with their neighbors. Tucker Foley had called a press conference, promising everyone the ghost boy would be there. Ghost hunters alike were all in the crowd, but Maddie and Jack weren't amongst them. They were comforting Danny, while dropping their own subtle hints at the advantages of the antidote.
They also had a shield over the stage, preventing any weapons from hitting Danny when he was in Phantom mode. Danny already knew the names of all the people he wanted to look at when he announced his secret.
1. The Guys in White and other ghost hunters. Maybe, with the support of his parents, he could convince them to stop hunting him.
2. Paulina. He no longer was crushing on her, seeing her as the shallow girl Sam always pointed out.
3. Sam and Tucker. If they would be happy he told everyone, or upset.
4. Valerie. The ghost hunter had already sworn to kill him. Would she continue the hunt?
5. Dash. Would he be guilty about bullying the town superhero, or convinced Fenton was even more of a freak.
6. Theresa and Tess. They were the reason this whole mess was happening. What would they think?
7. Mr. and Mrs. Foley and Manson. Their children were hanging out with something that defied the very laws of physics. The Manson parents already didn't like him…
As Tucker walked up to the podium, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He already knew the order; Tuck, Sam, Jazz, Danny Fenton, and then Danny Phantom. He had a good thirty minutes before he was up, but those flew by. The other three had attempted to put him in a positive light, and now he had to go out there.
His ghost sense went off, and he was barely aware that Clockwork, Dani, the Dairy King, and Dora floated down beside him. They placed icy cold, comforting hands on his shoulders, and he grinned up at them. He strode confidentially to the podium, clearing his throat into the microphone.
"Umm, hi. I personally know Danny Phantom, and I was there when he came into existence..." he began, starting to trail off. He took a deep breath, continuing. "Phantom and I have been the best of buds for as long as he can remember. He has done his hardest to protect this town, giving up everything just to save the town.
"Most people think he is good, although there are few who still hunt him. This just complicates things, because he doesn't want to hurt them." He saw Valerie flinch in just the slightest way at these words, and knew he struck gold. "So now, I'll leave you to talk to him," he concluded, walking off the stage.
He immediately turned ghost, flying invisibly to the other side. He walked out, and heard Paulina squeal from the crowd. Smiling in general, he gazed around. "I'd just like to thank two people who didn't speak today. Their names are Maddie and Jack Fenton. However, I know them by a different name," he announced, taking a step back. He closed his eyes, two familiar blue rings of light forming around his waist.
"Mom and Dad," he whispered, as the rings moved apart to reveal none other than Daniel Fenton. His friends and family all walked onto the stage, just daring anyone to try and attack him. Sure, the shield blocked ghost related items, but not actual people. People in the audience murmured to each other, and he closed his eyes. "Let the press conference officially begin."