Chapter 13: Ghosting through School
To say Danielle was having a normal day was pretty accurate. To say it was a normal day for everyone else was a completely different story. Though many, if not all, of them were used to the almost daily ghost attacks that happened in their town, not many had ever seen a ghost up close like they were now, and it was this fact that was causing the students to scream in fear. Danielle, covering her ears at the loud screams that echoed across the room, silently cursed the wishing ghost to whatever dimension that she hailed from, but kept quiet as Danny had warned her about saying the words "I wish" around this particular specter.
In retrospect, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, She thought bitterly as she dug around in her backpack and pulled out a Fenton Thermos. This was probably about as normal a day I was ever gonna have here at school, and even this was only bound to end badly. Well, it was fun being normal while it lasted. Danielle was quickly snapped out of her thoughts as a whistle flew through the air, catching all the students' attention and causing everyone to quiet down.
"Children, please remain calm, follow the procedures and file into the hallway," Mrs. Otree said as she placed the whistle back into her pocket. Danielle watched as everyone rose from their seats and started to make their way toward the classroom door. Following their lead, she quickly got up from her desk, but instead of getting in line with the rest of her classmates, she headed straight for the window. As she took a head count, Mrs. Otree noticed that Danielle was now across the room, struggling to get open one of the windows to the classroom that seemed to be jammed. "Danielle! What are you doing!? Get away from the window!"
"Danielle, what are you doing!? Are you nuts!?" Lin yelled as she turned back to look at the new student.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" She said as she finally got the window open with a final push forward and looked back at everyone. "I'm doing my job; fighting ghost!" with a scowl still on her face, Danielle hopped out the window and onto the lawn, running directly over to Desiree who had her back turned and was cackling evilly. Danielle rolled her eyes at the cliché villain behavior and readied herself for battle. "Hey, wishing troll!"
Desiree turned around, glaring at the small child who had the nerve to call upon her in such a manner.
"How dare you! You shall pay for insulting my beauty, you insolent child!"
"Yeah, I don't think so," Danielle said as she pulled back the sleeve on her right arm to reveal a Fenton Wrist Ray, a hum sounding from its fully charged glowing tip. I can't believe grandpa was right about bringing this thing. Though if Dad would just let me use my powers, I wouldn't need it, Danielle thought with a small grin as she pointed it at the figure before her.
"Ha! You believe you can beat me with such a meager toy!?" Desiree taunted before being blasted into a tree. Rising up, she growled as she looked at the somewhat surprised look on the young girls face and the trail of green smoke rising from the small blaster.
"Wow! I can't believe how strong this little thing is," she said, looking at the gun, then back to Desiree with a grin as it began to hum again. "To answer your question, I didn't think that originally, but I'm always up for an easy fight."
"Danielle!" Slightly startled by the calling of her name, she turned to find her teacher and classmates standing by the windows, watching her. "Get away from there, quickly!"
"Everyone get away from the windows!" Danielle yelled, taking her eyes off of Desiree to warn them. Unfortunately for her, this was all the opening she needed as Desiree smiled evilly and waved a glowing pink hand at Danielle.
Danielle turned back around to find that he wrist ray she had was now glowing as it transformed into a slithering white snake with glowing red eyes. The snake hissed at Danielle as it started to travel up her arm, causing her to scream and drop her Thermos. She quickly grabbed the snake by the tail and pried it off of her, tossing it away from her. Danielle held her arms around her body, shaking as she tried to calm herself.
"Aaah! I HATE SNAKES!" she screamed, glaring at Desiree who was now cackling evilly at the young girl's exposed fear. "Lady, you are really starting to piss me off!"
"Oh, worry not, child," she said as her ghostly tail slithered on the ground and wrapped around Danielle, causing her to squeak in surprise as she was lifted off the ground and brought to eye level with Desiree. "I shall make your demise quick. It is unfortunate that your wish for my defeat is a wish that I cannot grant." Lifting her right hand, Danielle watch as it began to glow before transforming into a long glowing blade, causing her to gulp as she began to panic. Holding the sharp end up to Danielle's neck, Desiree smiled as she prepared to finish the small pest quickly and move on with her plans. In the distances, Danielle could faintly hear the screams and cries of her classmates as they watched what they were sure were her last moments alive.
Ok, I think this counts as an emergency!
Putting on her brave face, though still slightly nervous, Danielle charged her energy into a tight ball around her body, building it up for release. "Maybe you can't, but I can!" She said, her eyes changing from blue to electric green, the energy practically flowing threw her irises'. "Now. Let. Me. GO!" She shouted as she released all of her energy in a huge burst of green light. Desiree screamed as she covered her eyes and uncoiled her tail from the sting of the attack, releasing Danielle into a free fall. Turning upside down, she headed straight into a free fall, a smile plastered on her face. "I'm Goin Ghost!" she yelled, closing her eyes.
Everyone watched in awe as her body flashed and two radiant white rings appeared around her exposed stomach and began to run over her body, changing her outfit into a black and white jumpsuit. As the rings reached her head, everyone gasped as her once pitch black hair changed into a pure, perfect white, and her skin became extremely pale with a light glowing aura around her. As she opened her eyes, the once beautiful, calming blue was replaced by a fierce and powerful green.
Just as she was about to hit the ground, her body became intangible and went straight into the ground. Many of the students began to search, wondering if she had been completely erased off the face of the earth in that small instant. Danielle, who was safely formulating a plan underground, pulled upward in a u-turn and popped up, turning tangible once more and unleashing a flurry of Ecto-Disk at Desiree who was completely caught off guard.
Much to Danielle's horror, Desiree dodged them all of her attacks, and seemed to be growing larger.
"What the hell!? You're getting bigger?"
"That's right, child! The more wishes people make, the stronger I get, and with everyone down below wishing to remain unharmed and to stay alive, I shall continue to become stronger! All of you ghost children are nothing but a nescience, and I don't particularly like children. Meaning, I'll just have to destroy you!" She said as she, once again, started cackling, a sound that had already been beyond annoying to Danielle by this point, and prepared to attack, only to be hit from behind from another Ghost ray. Desiree turned around and growled, only to be hit with a fist that sent her flying.
"Sorry, Desiree, but that's one wish that's never gonna happen," Danny said as he flew over and hovered next to Danielle who couldn't help grinning at the site of her father.
"Took you long enough. I was starting to think I was gonna have to kick her butt all by myself," Danielle said as Danny turned to face her.
"Sorry bout that. I was in the middle of a test and figured you'd call if it was anything really bad," he said as he returned the grin.
"Oh really? And what made you decide to come?"
"I remembered how stubborn and irrational you are, especially when fighting, and got here as soon as possible." Danielle rolled her eyes at him and was about to remind him that all of her moves were technically his, when a loud roar caught their attention and caused the two to turn toward Desiree who was trying to flee.
"I've had it with you, Phantom! Mark my words, you shall rue the day you messed with me! I'll be back!"
"I don't think so," Danny said, grabbing her by the end of her tail and pulling her back toward the ground. "I wish you would go back to your original size, get into the Fenton thermos and stay there until we put you back into the Ghost Zone!" With a strong yank over his shoulder, Desiree flew and slammed onto the ground. As she got back up and hovered, she growled, raising her hands over her head, causing Danielle to shift into a fighting stance while Danny simply smirked.
"So you have wished it, so-Oh you know the rest," she said as her entire body began to glow. The thermos, which had been sitting by on the ground, floated into the air, glowing the same bright green that she was, and opened its lid, releasing a bright light that grabbed onto her and pulled her into it before closing, tightening and falling to the ground.
The sky began to clear as everything turned back to normal. Danny turned back toward Danielle who was floating next him, her jaw hanging wide open.
"You know, you keep floating like that, then a bird's gonna make a nest in your mouth," he said, snapping his fingers in front of her eyes.
"Are you kidding me!? She really just did that!? She really just put herself into the Fenton thermos!?" Danielle said as she finally came out of her shock.
"Yeah. That's the one thing she never can stop from doing. Since she has to grant every wish that she hears, I usually don't even bother fighting her sometimes."
"Noted," she said, sighing as she ran a hand threw her hair and looked at him with a smile. "Thanks again for the help."
"No sweat. You ok though? How's your first day going so far?" Danny asked, becoming serious as he floated over to her and started inspecting her for any injuries.
"Dad! I'm fine," Danielle mumbled as a small blush of embarrassment crept onto her face at his over protective nature. "And considering I've only been here for about 40 minutes or so, have had to deal with a ghost attack and have yet to be mobbed, I'd say, ok."
"Danielle!" Both Phantoms turned to see her teacher and classmates still at the windows, looking up at them in awe.
"Hey, you got Mrs. Otree. Jazz and I had her. She's really nice."
"Yeah, but considering that thanks to Desiree, any chance I had at having a normal school life is now completely shot, and that I possibly gave her a heart attack with jumping out of the window and transforming, I don't think things are gonna be the same for me as it was for you guys," she said, smiling a little and hugging him tightly which he returned. "Bye, Daddy," she whispered.
"Bye, Ellie. Be safe. I'll see you later," he said before letting her go and flying off, waving to the cheering crowd of students behind him.
Danielle sighed before descending to the ground and walking back to the window. As she got closer, she could see many of the students back away from the window, and could only feel more like an outcast as they stared at her.
Great. Now I'm some kind of freak to them. She could feel the rising of tears as they tickled her eyes, but held them back, determined not to show weakness in front of any of them, regardless if they rejected her. As she came up to the window, she quickly turned intangible and walked through the wall. As she emerged on the other side, many of the students gasp, some murmuring. Holding her head down, she quickly became solid again and transformed, many of the students gawking at her as she stood before them in her human form. As she stood before them, she was surprised when her teacher quickly ran up to her and, kneeling, pulled her into a hug.
"Danielle! Oh my goodness, are you ok?" she said, pulling back and looking her over, much like her father had.
Danielle was shocked for a second before finding her voice again and nodding her head.
"Um…yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
"Oh thank goodness. I was so worried about you out there," she said before turning back into her stern self. "That was very reckless, young lady. You could have gotten hurt. Now, I understand that you are used to this type of thing, but next time something like this happens, notify me when you're going off to fight, or you'll be serving a detention. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," she said, surprised that her teacher was taking this all so well.
"Good. Now, everyone, back into your seats so that we can continue."
"Wait a minute," Lin said, as she looked upon Danielle. "I think you have some explaining to do. Just who exactly are you? And how did you do all of that? Are you some type of a ghost?"
"Lindsey! That is very rude, and you know better! That is her business, and-"
"No. It's ok," Danielle said, stopping her teacher and looking down at the ground before raising her head with as much confidence as she could muster up. "My name is Danielle Lilith Fenton. I'm a half human, half ghost hybrid. As I'm sure you all noticed, I look like Danny Phantom. Well the reason is because he's my cousin and not long ago, my family died in a fire and Danny had to give me a blood transfusion so I could survive. I gained ghost powers like him, and now, I fight ghost just like him. When I came here this morning, I had hoped to keep my identity a secret, especially when it seemed like no one here knew who I was, so that I could have as normal of a school life as possible, but now I know that's impossible. So," she said, looking each of them in the eye before lowering her head again. "If you all think I'm a freak or something, then that's fine. I know what I am and what I have to do."
Danielle waited for any sign of how they felt, but no one said a word. The silence was starting to get to her, and she was starting to assume that they were all sneering or giving her a look of disgust, when someone finally spoke up.
"So, you're like, a superhero?" A boy asked. "That. Is. So….COOL!" he shouted.
Danielle looked up to see her classmates all agreeing with him and smiling at her as they all started asking questions about her life and about Danny. Danielle couldn't help the small smile that graced her face, despite the fact she was being overwhelmed by the questions.
"Ok, ok, everyone," Mrs. Otree said, getting their attention. "I know it's been exciting so far, but we do need to get on with class, so save the questions for Danielle for after class."
Everyone groaned, but returned to their seats. As Danielle took her seat, she looked over to her left and saw Lindsey who smiled at her and mouthed an apology. Danielle smiled back and shook her head, feeling as if a big weight had been lifted from her shoulders, though it only opened up a new worry of never getting a moments peace from her classmates.
Ironic. I wanted to go to school to get peace from my family, but now I need to go home and get peace from school. Maybe I should just forget about finding peace. She thought as class went on around her. When the bell rang, she didn't even have enough time to put her notes away before her desk was literally surrounded by preteens, all asking various question that she could not hear with them all asking at the same time.
Danielle, starting to become uncomfortable, turned invisible and intangible, phasing through the group who were still standing around her desk, searching for their new hero. As she walked out of the room, backpack in hand, she located her locker and attempted to put the combination in. As she continued to mess up the numbers, she became frustrated and lost her focus, turning herself visible again. A loud gasp caught her attention as everyone in the hall had seen her appear out of thin air and were now staring at her.
Danielle blushed as she looked at everyone, and turned back to her locker, finally getting it open and depositing her backpack and gathering her books for her second class. She quickly closed her locker, avoiding eye contact with everyone she passed by looking at the floor, but soon found herself on the floor, flat on her but.
Ok, seriously, what is with me!? Why do I run into people every time I'm at a school? She thought.
"Why don't you watch where you're going!" the girl yelled as she stood up.
"Jeez, sorry. It was just an accident. No need to get your panties in a bunch," Danielle sneered back as she got to her feet as well.
"Um, excuse me? Do you know who you're talking to?"
"Well considering it's my first day here and it's only been about two hours since school started, that would be an obvious, NO. Though, even if I did know who you were, I probably wouldn't care considering your attitude right now."
"What did you say, you little skank?" the other girl said, standing over Danielle who was about half a foot shorter. "No one talks to Tammy Turner like that!"
"Correction, no talked to you like that before. And considering the super high all white boots, extra small burgundy shirt, pound of make-up and plaid skirt that's smaller than mine and leaves nothing to the imagination, you've got some nerve trying to call someone a skank when it's pretty much written all over you. Now, if you and your Neanderthal of a friend will excuse me, I have a class to go to," she said, eyeing the brunette boy behind her who was slightly toned, an effect of still growing into his body.
"What'd you say?" the boy said, his long bangs hanging in his eyes as he took his hands out of the red lettermen jacket he was wearing. "Don't think just because you're a girl, I won't kick your butt. I'm not scared to fight a girl and will kick your butt all over this hallway."
"Oh, let me guess. You two are the popular kids, right? Little miss blonde and airhead is the snobby queen bitch, and you must be the arrogant jock who thinks he's king of the school, right?" she said in a bored tone with a hand on her hip and the other holding her books while eyeing the two boys, one with dark skin, the other with braces, and a girl who had awkward glasses, dark hair which were in two pig tails and braces, behind them. "And they must be your little satellite cronies."
"Why you-"
"Easy there, Timmy!" the bald boy said. Danielle, taking notice of his short sleeve shirt, sweater vest and khakis, wondered how he could really associate with the A-List in clothes like his.
"Yeah, don't you know who she is?" the blonde boy said, braces gleaming in the light.
"No, and I don't care, Chester. I'm gonna knock her into next week."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. She's really dangerous," the bald boy spoke up again.
"AJ's right. If you mess with her, you get be in a lot of trouble."
"And what the hell is so special about her?" Tammy asked, glaring at Danielle.
"She's the new girl everyone's talking about, Tammy," the second girl said.
"So what, Tootie. She's just some new kid, just like every other new kid. And I'm gonna do what I do to every kid that steps out of line. Put them back in place," Timmy said as he adjusted the pink hat on the top of his head.
"You dumbass! Don't you get it? She's cousins with Danny Phantom! She's the ghost girl that was out there earlier," Tammy said, looking at her brother with a look of annoyance before turning back to Danielle, a fake smile on her face. "Sorry about my brother. He can be a bit of a hot head sometimes."
"So I've noticed," Danielle said, hand still on her hip.
"So you're the infamous Dani Phantom everyone's been talking about."
"Yep. That would be me."
"Well let me introduce myself. I'm Tammy Turner and this is my twin brother, Timmy. These are our friends, Tootie, AJ and Chester. It'd be my pleasure to invite you to join our circle."
"Wow! Really!" Danielle said in mock enthusiasm. "Let me think about that. Um, NO!"
"What!?" Tammy shrieked. "What do you mean no!?"
"If you don't know what NO means, then you should probably go back to preschool. And by that, I mean, I'm not a shallow wanna be like you and I don't pick on defenseless people like he does. So don't bother cause I won't be joining your group."
Tammy huffed and glared at Danielle, anger pouring off of her as she tried to think of a good way to deal with this, but was coming up empty. Tootie, who was holding their books, became nervous, knowing that she would have to hear about all this later.
"You're going to regret that and everything you've said," she threatened.
"Only thing I regret is wasting my time talking to you."
"I swear, I am going to ruin you!"
"Oh, I look forward to seeing you try," Danielle said with a smirk. For added effect, she quickly flashed her eyes green, shocking all five of them, and was rewarded with a gasp. Giving them one last cocky smirk, Danielle walked away, contemplating what she had just done.
"Well, so far, I've been here two hours and have broke just about all of my parents rules," she said, a smile on her face. "If Mom and Dad find out about this, I'm so dead…well, deader. Well, at least the day can't get much worse, right?"