Chapter 18: New Year, New Changes

A new year started and, unlike Danny Fenton, Sydney Poindexter was having a bad time. "It's all that bully's fault!" He said to no one. "If only I still had a way to go to the humans' dimension to teach him another lesson."

"That can be arranged if you help me." He heard a new voice say and was surprised upon seeing the newcomer.

Meanwhile, in Amity Park, Danny Phantom is flying towards school when he saw cops chasing a pair of bank robbers. "I suppose there's still time." He said and decided to use a ghost shield to block the car.

"No fair!" One of the robbers protested. "We're not ghosts!"

"I'm a superhero and you are robbers." Danny replied. "If you can't do the math, you're dumber than a school bully."

"Thanks for your cooperation, Phantom." A cop said. "We'll take over from here."

"You're welcome, officers." Danny replied and flew away. In spite of that delay, he made it on time to Casper High. He was on his way to a classroom when two jocks grabbed him. "What're you doing?" He asked them.

"Making you pay for making us lose Dash and Dale, Fenton." One of them answered while the other opened a locker. "Our football team has never been the same."

"When will you guys accept it was their own fault?" Danny desperately asked.

"Good question, Fenton." Mr. Falluca commented as he revealed himself. "You may go now. As for the both of you, detention this afternoon."

"But we have football practice!" The other jock pleaded.

"You should've thought about that before trying to shove a student into a locker, you bullies." Mr. Falluca replied. "The both of you are too used to Lancer's special treatment."

"Losing it was also Fenton's fault." The first jock complained.

"Maybe you should spend more time training and less time bullying, the team could have a chance without Dash and Dale." Mr. Falluca commented.

Later on, at Casper High's front yard, a ghost portal opened and a motorcycle with three ghosts came through it. "Thank you for the ride, Johnny." Sydney Poindexter said.

"And thank you for fixing my ghost portal generator, Poindexter." Johnny 13 replied. "Now Kitty and I are free to ride through Amity Park again."

"And I am free to make the bully pay for ruining my chances with that cute ghost girl with his lies." Poindexter replied.

"Uh, Poindexter, dipstick isn't exactly a…" Kitty tried to reply but Johnny 13 interrupted her.

"Kitty, Poindexter's issue with the halfa isn't our business." The biker ghost said and his girlfriend took the cue to stay quiet. "Bye, Poindexter." Johnny said and rode away with Kitty.

"Goodbye, Johnny and Kitty." Poindexter replied and then focused on his revenge against Danny.

Meanwhile, Danny's lunch break was interrupted by a pleasant surprise. "Barbara?" Danny asked.

"What're you doing here?" Sam asked with a frown. "Shouldn't you be attending classes in Gotham City?"

"My school's been closed for repairs because of Joker's latest attack." Barbara explained.

"Did you have a party to celebrate the extra days off?" Kwan excitedly asked.

"It wouldn't feel right with so many people being sent to the hospital because of the attack." Barbara replied, making Kwan ashamed of himself.

Danny then felt his ghost sense. "Uh-oh."

"Bullies." They heard someone say. "Poindexter?" Danny, Tucker and Sam asked at the same time.

"Yes." The nerd ghost answered. "And now it's time for you to pay for ruining my chances with Phantasma, you bully." He added while pointing at Danny.

"Wait." Mikey asked. "Do you think Danny Fenton's a bully?"

"Who's Danny Fenton?" Poindexter asked.

Mikey was briefly stunned by the question before answering. "Uh, the boy you've just called a bully."

"I know he's a bully." Poindexter replied. "I've seen him placing those weird-looking frogs down a nerd's pants."

"Dash's not a nerd!" Danny protested. "He's a bully and I was getting my revenge on him, not that I'm proud of it."

"You seemed very proud when you laughed at his misfortune and how dare you suggest a bully with no powers would be brave enough to do something with a powerful halfa like you?" Poindexter asked.

"Halfa?" Most students asked in confusion.

"Oh, right." Poindexter remembered. "Kitty did mention that only a handful of students already knows and that she used your desire for secrecy to blackmail you into helping her make her boyfriend jealous. It disgusted me. Even a bully doesn't deserve to be treated like that."

"I'm not a bully!" Danny protested.

"And I'm surprised you didn't like it done to Dash." Kwan commented. "I was sure you were the one who did it to him and I wasn't even sure ghosts existed back then."

"Why do you think Fenton is powerful and why do you blame him for destroying your chances with this Phantasma character?" Paulina asked.

"He's Danny Phantom and Phantasma is one of the two ghost girls he met through a dating service this summer." Poindexter answered. "I met her later and she lost interest in me because of the lies he told about me."

"Which lies?" Star asked.

"He said I jumped to conclusions when he used his powers to punish a bully." Poindexter answered.

"And you did!" Danny protested.

"No, I didn't and either way, I've got my revenge by exposing your secret." Poindexter said. "Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

"Why should I take your word that Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom?" Valerie Gray asked with a frown. "You're a ghost. Ghosts are evil."

"Danny Phantom isn't!" Kwan replied.

"Yes, he is!" She argued. "He had his ghost dog destroy my life!"

"I already said the dog wasn't his!" Danny protested.

"No, only Phantom said that." Valerie replied as she realized. "You!" She glared at Danny. "You had the dog destroy my life as retaliation for when I told Kwan to beat you up."

"The dog was just looking for a toy of his." Danny pleaded.

"And why would a ghost dog's toy be there in the first place?" Valerie asked while still glaring at Danny.

"Because he was supposed to be one of Axiom Labs' guard dogs until they were deemed unnecessary." Sam answered, upset at how the dogs were treated.

While Valerie was thinking it over, Danny decided to address Poindexter. "Happy now?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you just return to Casper High's Ghost Zone version?" Danny asked. "You became popular there after fighting me."

"That changed after your actions in stopping Pariah Dark made them decide you're not a bully." Poindexter sadly explained.

"Another thing I don't understand." Danny said. "Why would a bunch of bullies like you for defying people they believe to be other bullies?"

"Bully hypocrisy, I suppose." Poindexter shrugged and Team Phantom nodded.

"But why don't you just move to other parts of the Ghost Zone?" Barbara suggested.

"As the ghost of a nerd who died without graduating High School, I must stay in Casper High of either this dimension or the Ghost Zone until I graduate." Poindexter explained.

"I've already seen you outside Casper High." Danny pointed out.

"Those times took place during Pariah Dark's attack and the Christmas Truce." Poindexter explained. "School wasn't open for those occasions."

"Why don't you take a GED test?" Tucker suggested.

"Do you know how much it costs to take those tests?" Poindexter asked. "Not to mention I don't think the test providers are ready to see a ghost taking them."

"There's another possibility." Principal Ishiyama said as she approached the teenagers. "Allow me to introduce myself, Mr. Poindexter. I'm Principal Ishiyama and can have the teachers evaluate you without involving a GED test. How long do you think you'll need to study for the tests?"

After a date was chosen for Poindexter to take the tests, the students and the teachers turned their attentions to Danny. "So, am I right to assume your parents don't know you're Danny Phantom?" Principal Ishiyama asked and Danny nodded. "Honestly, Mr. Fenton." She scolded him. "You should've told them. What's the worst that could happen?"

Motorcycle noises could be heard along with another vehicle's. Johnny 13 was driving through the corridors and Jack and Maddie Fenton were using the Fenton Ghost Assault Vehicle to chase him. "Forget I asked that, Mr. Fenton." Principal Ishiyama told the halfa. She then addressed the other students. "Do all of you agree to keep his secret a secret?"

"Yes!" They said except for Valerie. "Ms. Gray?"

"He ruined my life!" Valerie replied. "I'm not sure anymore but I don't know what to say."

"I'm glad to know what Barbara Gordon saw in Fenton." Paulina commented and several students nodded in agreement. Even Sam.

"What?" Barbara asked in outrage.

"Come on." Paulina pleaded. "Do you really expect us to believe a beautiful girl, even if not as beautiful as me, would want anything with Fenton without knowing he's that cute ghost boy? By the way, Danny, you can have me now since I now know you're my ghost boy."

"Forget it, Paulina!" Danny bluntly replied. "Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom are a package deal and you only want Phantom!"

"Like your girlfriend is any different." Paulina scoffed. "I bet she and all other girls in that dating service who wanted second dates with you know you're Danny Phantom. Only the goth could want the loser you pretended to be and probably even she likes Phantom best."

"Did everyone here but me know about Sam's feelings?" Danny asked in frustration.

"YES!" Everyone shouted.

"Anyway, Barbara likes all parts of me." Danny said and Sam held back the urge to say 'keep telling yourself that'.

"Either way, I ask all of you to keep Danny's secret." Principal Ishiyama asked. "Not only for sake of his family and friends but also because I'm sure the Justice League won't see it with good eyes if he gets exposed."

"Oh, right." Kwan replied and addressed his fellow jocks. "Guys, no more picking on Fenton now that he's got super friends!"

"We'll be discussing the picking on part later." Principal Ishiyama told Kwan.

Because of all that mess with Poindexter and that the teachers were giving him lessons, classes ended earlier for living students. Danny was flying around looking for Johnny 13 and Kitty until the Red Huntress interrupted him. "Danny, we've gotta talk."

"What do you want?" Danny asked in worry.

"I know Vlad Masters is a halfa like you." She said. "I know we saw both him and Vlad Plasmius together during the incident with your female counterpart but, after you and she left, I saw them merging."

Danny was desperate. "Valerie, that secret is the only leverage I have to keep him from revealing mine!"

The Red Huntress thought it over. "Do your parents know?"

"No."

"Does the Justice League know?" She asked, hoping for a different answer.

"At least Batman and Superman do." Danny answered.

"Yours or Plasmius'?" She asked.

"Both." He answered.

"Good enough for me." She commented. "By for now." She left.

Danny then went home and told the rest of Team Phantom. Barbara included. "So Valerie knows about Vlad? Cool!" Tucker commented.

"Tucker." Sam scolded him.

"I mean it! She now has a really evil target for her hatred of ghosts." Tucker explained.

"I get but I'm curious about one thing." Barbara said. "A ghost dog? What's he like? Is it safe to meet him?"

Danny hesitated before answering. "Let's just say he'd be perfect as a pet for people like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or…" He thought about mentioning Katie but had a change of mind since he didn't want to get into details. "Well, any bipolar individuals."

Barbara had the impression he'd mention another specific individual but decided not to press the matter.

Unbeknownst to them, Vlad Masters was watching them through a device. "So more people know little badger's secret." The fruitloop commented. "I must make sure he still values his secrecy to the point of not exposing me."

End chapter.

Answer to Artorias (Guest): Samurai, not ninja. And Rito isn't exactly the smartest monster among the Power Rangers characters. And Kara can easily dodge from any attacks Rito can launch and she can use her powers to defeat Rito in a way her vulnerability to magic won't hinder her.

Answer to Leonardo (Guest): De nada. Postei os capítulos mais cedo por causa do Natal e Feliz Natal e 2021 pra você também.

Answer to Guest: True that.