AN: This story has been a long time in coming. Much of this was written waiting in auditoriums before my children's graduations. My youngest child graduated this week so this is my last chance. This is for them: Such Nachas!
Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.
Graduation
(4 drabbles)
Tucker fidgeted uneasily with his tassel as he twisted in his seat. On his right, Jenny Gardener hissed at him to face forward. Tucker scowled at the boy on his left. It wasn't Freddy Farley's fault but since that first day in kindergarten that had been Danny Fenton's spot. The chance alphabetical order of their surnames had placed them next to each other for practically every school function since. The man on the podium droned on about bright futures disguised as challenges but Tucker couldn't shake how wrong it felt not doing this with his best friend at his side..
.
.
It was just so unfair. If anyone deserved to graduate, it should have been Danny. If it'd been him, he would probably just have bailed on trying to keep up with school. It was Danny's example and Sam's, albeit sometimes draconian, encouragement that compelled him to pass his classes. Danny had done his best to meet his minimum requirements while being an undercover superhero but in the end it wasn't enough. Sure, Danny could work on his GED but it wouldn't be the same. He would be leaving Danny behind, going on to college without him and it started here.
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Jenny poked him again. Tucker belatedly stood and followed as one by one they filed up the steps to the stage. He hoisted a smile on his face for his parent's sake. His name was called. A raucous cheer broke out. The distinctive figures of Jack and Maddie Fenton stood next to his proudly beaming parents. At least Jazz had convinced them to leave the ecto-horn behind that had gotten them ejected from her graduation two years earlier. Danny was conspicuously absent. Further down the line Sam broke decorum and pointed upward. Then a flash drew his eyes upward. Above the auditorium, Danny Phantom was perched in the lighting scaffold.
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There was a burst of green sparkles. Danny was grinning wildly and clapping ecstatically. In that moment Tucker knew that whatever resentment Danny harbored about his lost academic career, none of that was directed toward him. Tucker grinned back and did a little dance before receiving his diploma and shaking Lancer's hand before returning to his seat. A little later another shower of sparks greeted Sam Manson's name. The success of one was the success of all. They might be moving on, but that didn't mean they were moving apart.