I don't own Danny Phantom or Grossology. They are owned by their respective companies. Joe Gutchern is an original character.
"Whoa," Danny exclaimed as he stepped into the gaglab.
It had been a long trip, mostly since the grossologists were adamant about keeping things a secret until further notice. The ghost boy had to ride in the back of the GRS-1 blindfolded. It wasn't even ghost proof, but the ghost boy decided to play along and get some answers.
Taking off the cover, Danny was greeted with what could be called every evidence of all the gross crimes Abby and Ty foiled and more. There were beakers of mutagen, goo, poop, puss, and other substances. Decorating the sides were machines for all sorts of gross schemes.
While it was amazing, the smell couldn't be the same, though it came from another room.
Walking over, Danny followed Ty and Abby to the next room, which had glass displays all over the walls. In the middle was an examination table with a scope positioned above. The device seemed to have many attachments for different purposes. Nearby was a kid no older than Ty, Abby, or Danny sitting at a computer typing away with a white rat on his shoulder.
The ghost boy walked over but soon found another stench, one while not terrible, was still malodorous.
"Uhhh...kid? Have you heard of a shower?" Danny asked with sarcasm. This earned a giggle from Abby while Ty wore a small smile, the boy was not amused as he rolled his eyes.
"I keep saying the same thing," the older sister remarked as she walked over. "This is Lab Rat, our expert in the gaglab. When we need something analyzed or help, He's our guy."
The rat on the boy's shoulder squeaked indignantly. Abby walked over to pick the guy as she scratched under his chin.
"And this little guy is Hermes," the girl added, soothing the critter.
"I take it this guy is our hero?" Labrat asked as Hermes jumped off to take a closer look. sniffing the bottom of Danny's boots, he turned quickly and ran up Lab Rat and back onto his shoulder. "And judging from that stench, I take it you went against something particularly nasty."
"You have no idea," Ty groaned. "OUr goop cannons didn't do a thing. If Danny here didn't show up, I don't know what would happen."
"Danny?" Lab Rat asked, eyeing the ghost boy.
"Oh right, introductions," Ty remarked. "Lab rats this is—"
"Danny Phantom," Danny introduced himself.
"Is that honestly your real name?" Ty asked as he heard the name a second time from the introduction the trio had in the GSR-1. It was the only part of the ride back that wasn't made awkward or somber by the silence. Besides, the brother and sister duo didn't get the chance for intros during the fight.
"I'm a ghost," Danny bluntly replied. "And it feels natural to me." though the boy didn't reveal his true nature, it didn't seem like a safe idea to expose himself to people he never met before. But that was common sense.
But the Guys in white came to Danny's mind. While he was in a different country, that didn't mean government officials weren't lenient about ghosts. But that was for another time.
"Ghosts?" Ty said skeptically with a raised brow. "Hahaha...I think you're imagining things."
But Danny stood there, staring at the young boy.
Abby gave him a shock expression while her brother was chuckling.
Lab Rat eyed the ghost boy funny till he went back to his computer and inputted a few keys. Within seconds, a large scanner came from the ceiling and began screening the hero.
"Hey, knock it off!" Danny said with his hand in front. "I don't like the idea of being studied molecule by molecule. Especially if I have to be ripped apart that way."
"Hmmm...interesting, the sample Ty sent me earlier had an unknown element embedded that has a similar signature to your own. I take it this is how you could handle our new foe?" Labrat said as he read the charts.
"It's called ectoplasm. And it's common for ghosts to have it," Danny answered. "And next time, why don't you try asking."
"Sorry," Labrat replied. "I sometimes get excited wit experiments."
"Wait, what?" Ty said as his sister eyed the ghost boy.
"So he is a ghost," Abby said as she got closer. Danny could see the excitement in her eyes. "Cool!"
Danny stuttered as he looked away. The sister was too close to his blushing face for comfort, but she soon realized what was happening as the girl backed away with a matching shade on her face.
"S-sorry," Abby said, rubbing her arm and turning her head.
"What was that all about?" Ty asked with a smug smile.
Abby sent her brother a small glare, but the boy was having too much fun to be affected.
Danny, curious about the displays, walked around the room, observing the many specimens of plants and other exhibits inside. While the ghost boy was busy with his tour, he did not notice that a certain someone was still looking at him.
From the corner of her eye, Abby watched as the boy's reaction varied from curiosity to a gross-out expression. The activity had a small smile forming on her face.
"What are you doing?" Ty asked, snapping the girl out of her state.
"Nothing," the girl said quickly, blushing a bit.
Ty and Lab Rat looked to each other. The technician was confused by the situation and the smirk on the boy's face.
The brother would have pestered his sister more had they not been interrupted.
"Grossologist!" the director screamed from the wall monitor. His entrance was so sudden it nearly made the ghost boy jump out of his skin. "We have a report of—"
It was then the hysteric man noticed Danny.
"—who is this!? You brought. A civilian into HQ? Again!?"
"Director, this is Danny Phantom," Abby said in front of the ghost boy. "He helped us with the incident earlier and can help us with the ghost."
"Ghost? What are you talking about?" the director demanded with a stern voice. He almost sounded professional in contrast to his entrance.
"Let's just say, I think I can help," Danny sighed as the man eyed him with a funny face. It was clear, the man was not a believer in some things, but it didn't bother the ghost boy.
All the director said was, "How?"
To make a point, Danny went invisible as the Director searched the room for him from the monitor. After a few seconds, the ghost boy reappeared with a boo, scaring the man out of his chair.
"Ahem," the skittish man said, readjusting his tie. "Very well, but under no circumstances can you reveal anything to him unless necessary. Not the location, not your identities, and he must follow procedure. Am I clear?"
Ty, Abby, and Lab Rat nodded while Danny stared.
"Good, now you need to head out. There are reports of-of—" the director took a deep breath before resuming, his voice shaking as he spoke. "—sharks flying across town!"
Danny, Ty, and Abby went wide-eye as they heard the news while Lab Rat typed away on his computer.
"Something tells me we may get more than two ghosts," Abby grimly commented.
"More ghosts!?" the director screamed.
"That would be the other ghost," Ty remarked. "He said his name was Joe Gutchern."
"Another ghost!" the director shrieked as he hid behind his desk. "Y-you c-c-can take care of this, r-right?"
Ty and Abby nodded as they looked to Danny. The ghost boy gave an affirmative smile.
"We can handle it," Abby said.
"Good...now get on it..."The jittery director said before sighing off.
Danny raised a brow at the man's attitude during the whole thing.
"How is this guy the director?" Danny asked. It was more of an out-loud thought, but it was a conundrum as to why such a man was in charge of an organization for grossness.
Ty and Abby shrugged, I uncertain themselves. The man had picked them for the job, and there never any questions.
"While I look up our friend Gutchern, you guys go and handle our little friends. See what's got them in the air," Labrat said as he typed away on his computer and popped up charts on sharks via the wall monitor. "Sharks normally don't eat people for prey, but I doubt these obviously mutated ones will be thinking that for long. Take the GRS-1 and round up our flying fish before they can cause some real damage."
"We're on it," Ty said as he Abby and Danny ran to the vehicle. The boy stopped at the exit and turned back to his friend. "By the way, Danny here had some equipment that really cleaned Gutchern. You think you can replicate the stuff?"
"Bring it here, and I'll see what I can do," Lab Rat replied.
With some hesitation, Danny helped Ty and Abby unload the devices he had on hand in the GRS-1. While he wasn't sure what the technician could do, he became more worried as he thought back to his parents. He'd have to check with his friends and sister when he got a chance.
The ghost boy groaned at what a day this could be. He had lost track of Joe, but couldn't leave those people out there with flying sharks.
Prey or not, he's seen enough shark movies to know what happens.
Joseph Gutchern had wondered Ringworm City scouring the place. He eventually landed in the city dump as he rested. The area was empty and smelly, so no one should bother him.
Or so he thought as the sound of giggling and laughter was heard from around the corner.
Turning the corner, the ghost was surprised to see an overweight, greasy man with messy, funky hair rolling around in the trash. His skin was a pale green with garbage smeared everywhere. The man had the biggest grin on his face with plague covered his teeth, which held the same green ole shade as his skin.
For once, the gross ghost got nauseated.
"Nothing makes you feel better than smelly, stinky garbage," the man said calmly as he made a trash angel.
Backing away, the ghost had inadvertently knocked over bags of garbage holding up some metal junk. The clanging of the plates and other objects rang loudly into the field, alerting the filthy man.
"Who's there?!" The man said with a cautious face. Getting down from the pile, the man walked with lanky feet as he came around the corner to find Gutchern staring at him.
It wasn't that the ghost was arrogant or not put off by the man; he just never knew anyone to come near him, let alone stare at him.
The stench of the ghost soon reached his nose, and instead of disgust, it was happiness.
"Hey there," Sloppy Joe said with a pleasing voice. He was looking at Gutchern like the newest toy during the Christmas season. "You smell...nice."
The ghost was taken back; he had never been told that before in his afterlife. However, he was finding a warmer reception in the city.
"Uhhh...thanks," the ghostly Joe replied, unsure about taking the compliment. "Who are you?"
"Me? Why I'm Sloppy Joe, the filthiest man on earth," the man introduced himself with pride overflowing in his voice. Flies came out of his mouth as he smiled. "Who are you?"
"Joseph Gutchern," the ghost replied slowly.
"Well, I'll be. Another Joe." That got the sloppy man smiling wider. He walked over and slung his thick greasy arm around the ghost's shoulder, but it went through, leaving a small pile of gunk and slime that had the flies dropping. But the man laughed it off.
Sloppy Joe even took a deep sniff of the stuff, sighing with pleasure. It was unnerving to Gutchern, but he was happy to find a friend.
"You know a guy like you is just what this town needs," the unhygienic man chuckled. "And I know just where to start."
Short chapter today as we set things up. Looks like Joe and Joe are friends. I guess they're now so sloppy your guts churn. Pardon the pun. Next time we get to see Danny and the Grossologists in action together. Let's hope they don't become shark food.
Special Thanks! to Flower Princess11 for all her help!
Reviews:
Starlord Master: They are.
Luiz4200: Given that he attacked Joe and not them, I'd say he made a good impression.
Artorias(Guest): Quizás más por costumbre.
Jay The Average Fanboy: Sadly a fight between Joe and Joe may not happen. joe loved stinky, smelly, and gross. And Joe is all those things. As for crossover elements, I'd have to think about what could be implemented. A sequel could happen because I have a feeling readers could want more and there are some more ideas I have for this. So, maybe.
Ironchef(Guest): I have no real set schedule for updates sadly. But I'll try and keep the chapters within reasonable space.