Chapter 1 – Growing Ghost

"Thanks Danny. I didn't know dolphins played underwater 'football' with bubbles. Amazing!" Danny and Sam were flying back from the San Diego Pacific. He had gone ghost and then taken her on a tour underwater, and since they were both invisible, the dolphins acted normally. It was better than Sea World…and free! He always liked to impress her, and at sixteen, his part time job didn't pay him enough for luxuries, so he used his talents to entertain her when possible.

"I have seen a lot of stuff Sam. But there are still some places I haven't explored yet."

"What do you mean? Do you mean like in a volcano?" They flew through a flock of seagulls.

"I'm… not talking about, places around here, like around earth." They phased into her bedroom and materialized. "I mean places in the ghost dimension. I can see ghosts of people past, dark places in the distance, places that I think are evil. And…a place I think is a good place. A big white mountain, kind of… far away."

"How do you know about places you haven't seen? I thought when you went ghost, you still see us regular folks in the real world…" They sat down on the bed together.

"I do, but then, I can phase not just through stuff, but I can phase in a different way. I think it is a different frequency or something. I found it when I turned sixteen."

Sam was wondering: could Danny be going through a 'ghost puberty' of sorts? Some ghost growing that would take him to higher powers? She couldn't help smiling. He hates to be called 'pre-pubescent'!

"Uh…what's funny?" He asked, half closing his eyes at her. He checked his fly.

Now she laughed. "Nothing down there, I was just thinking…maybe ghosts grow up! Maybe you are going through 'ghost puberty'!" She was still smiling, but held his hand to let him know she wasn't trying to be mean to him. She knew how sensitive boy's egos are!

"Maybe since you are older, you are getting experience, like Plasmius."

Danny frowned at the idea that he would become anything like his arch rival. But maybe Sam had a point.

"Well, maybe you're right. This new phase might help me to defeat Plasmius once and for all! Maybe there is some way to use it against him." He took on an inward look, contemplating.

Sam patted his hand. "Now that's my Danny!" She brushed his shaggy dark hair to the side and kissed him on the cheek.

"OK, you better get to work, almost 5 PM!" She reminded him.

"See you babe." He kissed her on the lips, holding her waist briefly. He went ghost and dropped through her floor feet first, his smile and big green eyes were the last thing she saw before he disappeared into the shag carpeting. She went downstairs to make herself a salad.