Disclaimer: If I told you that I don't own Danny Fenton, cause live in a van down by the river would that suffice?
Author's Notes: Enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Clock Conga
Dash Baxter, star player of the Casper Ravens football team and one of the toughest guys in school, had been ordered to stay in bed for an entire week after his brawl with the new boy. The gossip spread through the school like wild fire, becoming a mix of fact and speculation. On all sides the quiet sophomore had become a hot topic to everyone right down to his unusual name, Griffith Rolland.
It never ceased to amaze Danny how whenever Griffith walked into a room or down a hallway, it became so much quieter. His intimidating presence seemed to demand respect and yet in a high school like his, Danny wasn't surprised that he'd gained more. In the boys locker room Griffith was mentioned with admiration for holding his own against Dash, while Sam told him about how in bathrooms the girls swooned over his good looks.
Most people kept their distance from the mysterious Griffith and those that didn't, fell into a strange friendship with the boy. He was polite and sociable, but he never spoke more than he had to. He was unusually good in sports, but none of the coaches convinced him to join the school teams. Even the teachers gossiped amongst themselves about his impressive school work. He probably could be the school's golden boy, if he didn't seem so indifferent.
Normally Danny didn't pay so much attention to the behavior of other people like this, but it was because of Griffith that he too became a topic in the gossip rings. Nobody knew what his connection to Griffith was or why he only stood up for Danny and no one else afterward. The football players teased him by calling him Griffith's boyfriend, especially when they realized that Griffith noticeably stared at him a lot. Meanwhile he groaned when he heard Paulina and her friends point out how aside from the blue streaks and green eyes, Griffith held a remarkable resemblance to him. Even now as he turned the corner to get to his locker, he saw a group of girls whisper as they looked at him.
"Don't worry, I think those are for me," said a deep voice beside him. Danny started in surprise and saw that Griffith was walking beside him.
"The name's Griffith, Griffith Rolland," said the other boy calmly.
He took his hand out of his pocket and held it out for Danny. Danny stared at him, the hand and back before shaking it.
"Yeah I know, my name's Danny Fenton," said Danny hesitantly.
"Danny Fenton? I think I've heard about you. You're that guy that constantly gets picked on by that football meathead Baxter."
"Uh yeah that's one way to put it," said Danny tentatively.
He ran a hand through his own jet black hair. Finally seeing Griffith up close enough, he was able to find the resemblance. Sam was right about Griffith looking like a taller Goth form of him.
"I've been watching you Danny," Griffith said after a moment. "You seem like a nice enough guy and yet, this Dash moron and his friends pick on you all the time don't they? Someone even told me that you delivered his homework to him everyday this week."
"Uh yeah, I did. It's not a big deal, really. Mr. Lancer told me I either do that or spend an hour everyday in detention," replied Danny. "I'd rather deal with Dash than him any day."
Griffith merely nodded in response. As Danny finally slowed down in front of his locker, Griffith spoke again, "Well today's Friday right? It's the last day you'll ever have to deal with him. See ya later Danny."
"Uh yeah, catch ya later Griffith," Danny said distractedly.
As he watched the other boy go, he felt wrong and like he'd missed something. He shook his head and opened his locker to get the things he needed this weekend. He saw Sam and Tucker walk over toward him.
"Hey Danny are you up for a movie? They're showing Return of the City Beast right now at the theater. I heard that in the sequel the guy turns into the beast and terrorizes people in a security mall, a basketball game and girl's prep school," Tucker finished slyly.
"Wow Tucker, sounds like a real winner," said Sam sarcastically.
"I'll have you know, that Return of the City Beast is a box office classic," said Tucker indignantly.
"Uh guys," said Danny, trying to interject.
"No, Arista's Flight North is a classic and playing in the old theatre house on 4th Street," Sam stated matter-of-factly.
"Arista's Flight North, isn't that movie in Russian? Who wants spend 2 hours reading subtitles about some girl growing up?" countered Tucker.
"Guys," said Danny a little louder.
"Who wants to watch some idiot turn into a werewolf and scare people for 2 hours? I can watch you and Danny do the same thing with his ghost powers," Sam retorted back.
"Yeah well at least we-"
"Guys!" shouted Danny.
Both his friends turned aggravated faces toward him as they yelled, "What?"
"I can't go to the movies anyway, I have to drop off Dash's homework, remember?"
"Oh yeah, forgot about that. Sorry Danny," said Tucker sheepishly.
"Yeah, sorry Danny, good luck," said Sam.
"Thanks, I'll catch up with you guys later, after I give Mr. Sunshine his homework," said Danny dejectedly.
He closed his locker with a sigh and started to walk away, but stopped to look back at them, "Ya know, for a split second you two were acting like a married couple."
His friends gave him annoyed looks as he took off toward the entrance. A smile came to his face, as he put his helmet on and got on his motorized scooter. He turned onto the street, heading for the Baxter residence.
Dash looked at his clock for the fourth time in the last 15 minutes. He lay back on the massive pillows behind him and already felt himself falling asleep because of his medication. He blinked his eyes rapidly and thought about something to do to stay awake. His eyes roamed over to the clock again and he saw that Danny was now 16 minutes late. He stared at the math book near his dresser and remembered back to when the nervous freshman first showed up at his house with his homework.
He immediately knew the vice principal was behind it somehow, unwilling to let the quarterback's grades drop. Danny had come into his room cautiously and told him that he'd be stopping by everyday to drop off his assignments and pick up the ones he finished. As Danny kept babbling on, he knew the other boy was making an effort with pleasantries. In the end Dash didn't care about any of that and instead pumped the boy for information. He was surprised to learn that Danny hadn't told the vice principal the whole truth about the fight.
He was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard knocking coming from the door downstairs. He waited for the tell-tale signs that his mother had answered the door and invited the boy in. The doorbell's chime resounded through out the house and Dash grew confused. He slowly got up and walked to the nearby window to open it.
He stuck his head out and shouted, "Hey Fenton, I heard ya already. Just hold on a sec."
"Dash? What are you doing up?" Danny shouted back.
"I'm running a marathon dweeb, what do you think I'm doing? I'll be down in a minute."
With that he quickly tried to make his way through his room and into the hallway. He was taken by surprise to find small tendrils of smoke making their way up the stairs. He used his sleeve to cover his mouth and quickly made his way down the steps two at a time.
He yelled out in alarm, "Mom! Mom where are you?"
He grew worried at the lack of response and quickly made his way to the living room. What he saw made him gasp in surprise. He ran over ignoring the smoke filling up around him and lifted up the fallen form of his mother.
"Mom? Mom! Wake up! What happened to you?"
He moved her face to meet his, but his mother remained unconscious and Dash could faintly hear her muttering something to herself, "Not Dash…"
His eyes watered as the smoke grew heavier in the room. He slowly lifted his mother upwards and jogged into the parlor room getting closer to the front door. A chill ran down his spine at the familiar sound of deep laughter. He slowly turned around to see the same boy he'd fought with earlier this week, but he was covered from head to toe in a black robe and held a scythe in his right hand. Dash began to tremble uncontrollably as the boy came closer.
"You know I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name is Griffith Rolland, it's a pleasure," said the other boy with a polite smile.
"Y-you...what did you do to my mom?" asked Dash, his voice cracking as he spoke.
"Nothing really, you'd be surprised how just my appearance scares the hell out of people. I'm a pretty self-explanatory guy," replied Griffith in a friendly tone.
"I'm not going to let you kill us," said Dash.
He tried to keep his firm resolve even as the smoke from the fire was becoming heavier in the room.
"Actually dude, you really don't have a choice in the matter. Your time's up and I'm here to collect," said Griffith said as he came closer. The smoke surrounding his menacing appearance began to part as he moved, "If it's any consolation, you weren't supposed to die for another 7 minutes. You see as soon as the Fenton boy left, your mother was going to accidentally cause a kitchen fire. Knowing that you're asleep upstairs, she was going to make a brave, but futile effort to save you. Unfortunately she saw me in the house and fainted, thereby causing this fire much too early."
"I really have to work on my timing," Griffith muttered to himself. He shrugged and in a louder voice said, "Now then, pick your poison Dash; both you and your mother burn to death, you let the house burn and fall on you, or you can just let me do what I do best."
Dash backed away as he saw the scythe aimed at him. He backed away closer toward the front door, but before he could take another step, Griffith moved to block his way. He was startled by the boy's speed and quickly thought about what to do. Dash charged toward Griffith startling the other boy into striking him. At the last second however, Dash took a giant leap to the side and with all his strength launched himself through a nearby glass window. Griffith's strike missed and he looked up to see the sharp glass fall on Dash as he used his body to protect his mother.
Dash rolled once before landing on his back. He could feel sharp glass shards digging into his body. His eyes could see the top of his mother's head and feel her heartbeat through his shirt. His vision began to grow blurry, but he could faintly hear the sound of yelling going on around him. Just before he fell unconscious, he saw a boy with snow white hair fighting against Griffith.
End of Chapter 2
Author's Notes: Read and Review! Thanks!
Spider's Shout Outs:
(because the world would be less crowded without them)
Dela the Hidden-Woo hoo! You were my first reviewer for this story. Awesome observation by the way. Danny thinks Griffith's a ghost, but the truth is that he's way more powerful than that. All shall be revealed in the next chapter.