AN: Yeah this took a long time, see my profile for why. Slight warning, the next chapter or two is gonna be a tad more serious (aka the funny is on short hiatus). But the funny will be returning! I just need to get the drama out of the way
Cracked Reflections: The Fight
"Papa! We're out of bottled water!"
"I'll get some tonight, princess."
"But I'm thirsty now!" Oh well, desperate time, desperate measures.
…Was tap water supposed to do that?
$S
It wasn't fair.
He was Dash Baxter, the star of the school. The best damned football played in Amity, despite being only a freshman. Women wanted him, men wanted to be him, and geeks cowered before him.
But now…..
His ears still rank with the lectures his parents screamed at him. He was expelled, and on record for being a suspected druggie/dealer. Everything was lost, and he hadn't done anything wrong.
It was all the fault of that freak Fenton and that thing that called itself Trip. He wanted revenge; he wanted to make them pay. But how? Trip was a monster.
Then forget Trip a voice inside him said, You can't do anything about him. Fenton on the other hand may be a freak, but without Trip covering his butt he's a total wuss.
But how do I get Fenton alone? Trip's on him like an extra arm…
$S
A look of childish glee filled the Danny's face as the young halfa twirled around like a little kid.
"Its rain, Danny" said Sam as though she was explaining something to a small child, "The same rain that's been falling on us since we were little kids."
"It's the same evil substance that wrecks cell phones and PDAs" muttered Tucker darkly, glaring at cloud and clutching his equipment protectively.
"Its cold water that is soaking me to the bone and not turning me into a girl" said Danny gleefully.
Trip laughed "And unfortunately it's not a good enough reason for coach to cancel practice. Guess you guys'll be going home without me."
"Actually I was thinking I might stay during practice." Said Sam nervously. "You know, provide moral support against the rest of the meatheads on the team."
Trip grinned. "Thanks Sam, that'd be great."
Tucker shivered. "You can stay out in the horrible weather if you want; my mom's picking me up. You coming Danny?"
"Nah, I think I'll walk home" the grin had not yet faded from him face.
"I'm the only sane one left" moaned Tucker.
$S
"Never gonna be a girl again! Never gonna be a girl again!" Danny chanted under his breath, literally dancing through the rain. He was in so much glee that the curse was broken, he never looked where he was going, never noticed the ominous atmosphere that suddenly seemed to permeate the deserted road.
"Hey Fenton" came a familiar and very unwelcome voice.
That killed Danny's mood faster than the Box Ghost could kill a party. His cheer dissolved into terror.
Dash Baxter.
Somehow the former football player seemed a lot scarier than usual. Perhaps it was the dark bags under his eyes. It easily could have been the maniacal sneer Dash's face had twisted itself into. Or perhaps the most frightening of all, knowing Dash had absolutely nothing left to loose.
"You did this to me, you freak" Dash spat.
A hard right hook pummeled into Danny's face, knocking the halfa to the ground.
"And you're going to pay" from his letter jacket, Dash drew a knife.
"Dash, Stop it! This is murder!"
"How can you murder what's already dead?" said Dash menacingly
Danny turned to run, but not for nothing was Dash the (former) champion of the football team. In only a single leap he tackled Fenton, knocking him to the ground. Dash raised his knife above his head, eager for his vengeance.
It was purely by reflex that Danny phased through the ground, reappearing with an ecto-enhanced uppercut to the former jock's jaw.
Dash was knocked back several feet. Danny, scared for his life, hadn't adjusted his strength for dealing with a human enemy.
The two stared at each other in shock. It was hard to say which was more surprised by Danny actions. While he could use his powers for hiding or pranks, Danny had never used them against another human while human.
Shaking his head as if to clear it, Dash slowly got to his feet, the knife still clutched in his hand.
Okay Fenton, if that's how he's going to play it, then that's how it is. This isn't bullying anymore, and that's not the Dash Baxter we knew. He's a psychopath who'll stop at nothing to kill you. It's time to pull out the stops. Danny started to power up, then stopped. No, even with the stakes raised, this isn't Danny Phantom's problem. This started with Danny Fenton, and It's gonna end with Danny Fenton.
Danny relaxed his stance, mentally going into battle mode. He didn't transform to his ghostly state, but did allow his eyes to glow a fiery emerald green. He wanted Dash to know exactly who/what he was facing.
Dash saw the eyes, but like a man possessed continued his advance. Though he had failed to take the fact into account of the freak's fighting prowess, he had gone into this knowing Danny wasn't completely, if at all, human. He wasn't going to let it stop him.
This was normally the part where Dash would throw out some lame insults, or Danny would let off some witty one-liners, but each remained silent, only staring at each other.
Once again within lunging distance, Dash again leaped at Danny with the knife. He never even got close. The moment he moved Danny had disappeared. Dash felt a brief chill that he assumed was the ghostly Danny passing threw him. He then screamed in pain as something that seemed to simultaneously freeze and burn his skin exploded against his right wrist, causing him to drop the knife.
But before he could reclaim it, Danny was there, kicking the weapon down a storm drain. The halfa's hands seemed to be engulfed in green fire as he threw three more ecto-bursts in rapid succession, two hitting Dash in his chest and one in the face.
Dash went down, and hard. Before he had a chance to get up Danny was on him again, holding him down with inhuman strength.1
"You can't fight me anymore Dash. Because I'm not going to hold back on you anymore. You already know I'm no longer a normal human. And you were trying to kill me. My life may suck, but I still want to live it as much as I'm able to .I know you're probably blaming me for what happened at school today, because you can't seem to take responsibility for any of your own faults. In your mind, you were expelled because I didn't support you when you tried to tell the truth about me. But you got yourself into this situation when you made the decision to start poisoning yourself with that stuff 2. And I'll warn you now, the ectoplasm that pumping through my veins gives me more strength than any amount of steroids. And if I find you pushing any of that stuff on the street, there's no god that will be able to help you. You can't hide from me Dash Baxter. And I'm not running from you anymore."
Before Dash's eyes, Danny seemed to dissolve into thin air, the pressure holding him down fading as the halfa dissolved into nothingness.
The rain continued to pour around him, numbing his skin and washing his hair into his eyes. For the life of him he couldn't tell if his opponent was still there of if he was truly alone.
Dashaul Everett Baxter began to cry.
S$
Invisible, Danny ran as fast at he could back to the school. He never even noticed the rain, the water droplets passing through his phased state. If had any presence of mind, he would've flown, but he was too rattled.
I can't believe it. Dash was trying to kill me. This isn't happening, this isn't happening!
And as he entered the school grounds, he never noticed the glowing green eyes watching him.
$S$S$S$S$S$SS$$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$S$$S$S
1 I know super strength isn't on Danny's official list of powers, but after he threw that Dragon in "Parental Bonding", I'm convinced it's there.
2 Danny has no clue Trip set Dash up. He's under the impression that those drugs really were Dash's.
Unlikely-to-bear-it: heh, Yes Jyu Sen Kyo getting what she wants is a bad thing. And the fashion show was so much fun to write
anthony Bennett: . Longest. Review. Ever. DO you have an account on this site, the muses seem to be generous to you.
Kraven the Hunter: #narrows eyes# Stay outta my brain, it's private #j/k#
Jerry Unipeg: Next chapter up!
Ryune: But is he really? And Ranma should know by now, everything is his fault
Hunter 1: Oh, that's what you meant. Nope, I got something planned for Dash that does not getting cursed.
Xeno: Yah…..You prolly already guessed, but I'm not always good at updating. Sowwies
Supernatural Chick: #smiley fce# Am glad this story makes you laugh. And am doing my best on the grammer front, thanks.
Jonakhensu:
$S
Omake: (actually said out loud while working on this chapter, Pirate Radio is playing in the background)
Me: Man, I'm starting to feel guilty about how I'm treating Dash. I mean, just because I have bully issuses is no reason to put him through what I have planned
Dash: Fenton, when I'm wailing on you on Monday, I'll be wailing on a hero. But make no mistake, I will be wailing.
Me:…..Guilty feelings gone /\ ./\