Disclaimer: I have never professed to own Danny Phantom.
Summary: Set after PP. The Fenton family learns why it's a bad idea to bring an ice-powered ghost boy to a hot vacation in the Caribbean. Jazz/Danny bonding and loads of snow!
Day 20: Snow
Danny gulped down his iced soda greedily.
"You'll get a brain freeze from that you know?"
Danny just rolled his eyes at his sister's remark. "Don't care. It's so damn hot! Whose great idea is it anyway to stay here?" He turned his nose up at the small room, currently cluttered with their excessive baggage. One of them, a bag made of tight nylon, suspiciously followed the vague outline shape of the Fenton bazooka.
"Cheer up, little brother! It's this or the freezing cold back home." Jazz stood up and stretched while abandoning the hostel-provided menu she was holding.
"I actually prefer the cold." Danny spied his parents entering their room after their talk with the hostel attendant. "And I can just fly us back home if you want," he looked hopefully at the adults, "who knows what Sam and Tucker are up to right now."
"Aw, sweetie, a family get-away is fun!" Maddie clasped her hands together. "This is our first trip abroad too as a family. Together."
"Plus," Jack added encouragingly, "we've agreed to take a break from any ghost and ghost-related activities. Isn't that right, Danny-boy?"
Danny's answer was to look meaningfully at the suspicious bag, a movement that his sister copied.
They were huddled in a simple hostel in one island of the Caribbean, where the climate was so different from Amity's usual cold of December. Jazz had just finished her first semester of university, and Danny was in his annual Christmas-New Year holiday from school. The family then decided to have a trip outside of Amity Park, seeing that Danny, even in holiday, did not relent in his activities of patrolling and catching errant ghosts.
Ever since the Disasteroid incident happened several months ago, the ghost hunters had been helping Danny to protect the town. Still, it seemed that the ghosts increased their usual activities, especially after Danny had been dubbed as the world's hero. Simply put, more and more ghosts were attracted to Amity Park, eager to challenge the young hero now that his existence and whereabouts were known to the world.
Amity Park was indeed the most haunted town in America, and it was arguably as well in the world, but that did not mean that ghosts exclusively haunted the town. Now that the world believed that ghosts existed outside of so-called horror stories (even the UN was calling for recognition of ghosts' registration and rights), Amity Park became some sort of beacon for ghosts all over the world. For what purpose, Danny himself was unsure, other than the fact that his free time had been devoted once again to ghost catching. Or, as Danny would have better termed it, "escorting ghost tourists back to their god-damned place because I am not some attraction!"
Geez, with the way the ghosts were acting, one would have thought that Danny had become a celebrity even among ghosts. But Danny had always been one of the only three halfas – two actually now that the Vlad was stranded in a space rock. Unbeknownst to him, the majority of the ghost population, the ones who were usually content being left alone in their haunting places, felt the shift in the air now that the relation between the human world and the ghost world was getting closer than ever. Obviously, some of the more hostile ones opposed the change in the centuries-old status quo. Danny had the unfortunate position as the beleaguered halfa right in the eye of the storm.
But for now, his family was determined to make him take a break by getting him into a plane – more like kidnapping him in his sleep (Yes, he woke up seeing a flight attendant asking, "Coffee or tea, sir?") – and relocating the whole family for a 5-day stay somewhere in the Caribbean.
Danny's two consolations were the fact that it was close to the Christmas truce (so that he hoped the ghosts were being a bit lenient to Amity Park), and his parents' rare display of discretion by registering their tickets and accommodation booking somewhat anonymously (he suspected they were the alternate identities they were given courtesy of the reformed Guys in White).
However, this heat was slowly killing his ice-core!
Back to the conversation, Jazz was giggling at her brother's antics. "Wow, Danny. The day's finally come when Dad is even less obsessed with ghosts than you!"
Maddie couldn't help but smile as well. "Your sister's right, Danny. You're the only one not relaxing here." Glancing at her sandal-covered feet, "We should visit the local market this afternoon. I can't believe I forgot to bring my sun block. What do you think, Jack?"
"Oh well, Mads! I'm sure we can go to the market before the beach. Okay, children! Unpack your stuff and then off we go!" With that he sauntered to the bathroom.
"Don't forget to turn the knob right instead of left for the hot water, honey! That man's given us warning that the sign's inverted." Maddie turned to the kids. "Now, I'm off to fetch us brunch. You two behave."
Jazz and Danny relayed their orders to their mom. Then they were left sitting on the beds, the sound of Jack's off-tune singing slightly echoing from the bathroom.
"Everything's gonna be fine, Danny," Jazz turned to her brother, who was staring at the ceiling in a disinterested fashion. "Besides, it's your fault anyway. If we'd just used the Fenton/Phantom fame here, we'd at least have an air conditioned hostel."
"Yeah, and risk getting mobbed by people we don't know."
"Well, you should've at least realized mom and dad would prioritize the ongoing repair of the Speeder."
Danny smiled slightly. "I kinda know that since mom didn't think to bring a cell phone in our last trip. It's not the place. It's the heat."
Jazz's mouth formed an "O". "Your ice core! I forgot."
"Hey, Jazz," she looked up only to find him smirking mischievously at her, "you know you just give me a greaaat idea?"
"What?"
Danny changed into his ghost form. The temperature of the room suddenly decreased to a chill emanating from him. His eyes were not the usual green. Rather, they were icy blue, a shade of blue brighter than his human blue. One of his gloved hands formed a glowing fist with the same blue energy.
"I'm practically a walking AC, don't ya think?"
"Oh no! Wait, Danny! I know what you're think-DON'T YOU DARE!" Jazz screeched as she got a fistful of snow to the face.
"Danny!" The ghost boy was curling up in laughter. Jazz growled. Two can play in this game, dear brother.
She launched herself at Danny and tackled him. Taken by surprise, Danny could not maintain his floating and they both crashed to the ground next to the bed. Jazz started to tickle Danny.
"AAAAH! HAHAHAA! Jazz, geroff! HAHAHAHA Oh God! You're so dead! Aaaah," Danny twitched and laughed uncontrollably, his arms being pinned to the sides by Jazz's legs.
Giving a wicked grin, Jazz stated triumphantly, "And the great Danny Phantom is defeated by Jasmine Fenton the Greater through the power of—omph!"
Her hand slipped on the suddenly covered-in-ice floor. Danny had frozen the area around which their bodies laid.
"Payback!" said the recently freed Danny. "By the power of tickling? Cos' that just sounds reaaal awesome, Jazz!" he grinned as he prepared another onslaught of snowballs. "Really awe-inspiring!"
"Hello everybody! The food's ready! And guess what? The hostel has just offered us a portable fan with some extra charge. I've told them to bring—" Maddie trailed off registering the sight that greeted her when she opened the wooden front door, almost making her drop the plastic bags she had in hands. "Umm, sweeties?" Jazz and Danny froze.
Jazz and Danny was in the midst of their mock-wrestling with soft pieces of snow still stuck in their clothing and hairs. Not to mention there was a fine layer of ice on the floor around them as well.
"Mom, I think I have a solution to our mutual heat problem," Danny said slowly, deliberately. One arm raised from his position on the floor (the other one was still under Jazz's leg).
"Oh no you don't!" Jazz said in horror, trying to grab the raised arm but it was too late. One look of concentration from Danny and a twitch of his fingers later, the room was practically covered with 6-inch of snow. Their baggage laid frozen in the corner of the room. The ceiling was dotted with a few of half-formed icy-version of stalactites completing the new design of the room that now looked more like an ice cave than a simple hostel room.
Danny smiled in satisfaction at his handiwork.
Maddie was gaping by the door, still unused by this blatant display of ghost powers even after these several months.
And Jazz, she was glaring hard at her brother. If only her glare could literally melt the snow in front of her.
It was at that perfect moment the hostel staff came in behind Maddie, portable fan in hand. "Ma'am, here's your requested—wha—?" he ended so eloquently.
Maddie jumped at the sound coming from behind her. "Oh. Please do come in," her voice was uncharacteristically faint. The staff was too busy gaping to hear her.
The door to the bathroom opened. "Kids, the weather suddenly took a temperature dive while I was finishing the best part of Prince's song: the chorus! Whoaa, galloping ghostly goo!"
"Uhhh," Danny, being the object of everyone's stares (and one glare), rubbed his neck nervously. "I guess…winter is coming, huh?" he finished with his best Eddard Stark impression, which did not even manage to impress anyone.
Later on, the owner of the hostel herself would barge into the chaos after hearing several complaints from the rooms above and under the Fentons' one – it turned out Danny had overpowered his ice creation so that it leaked into the upper and below floors. Then she promptly fainted after seeing Danny in his ghost form.
Furthermore, the inhabitants of the room above them were apparently a small family who had never been to a four-season country. The little girl's expression when seeing the snow for the first time melted the Fentons' hearts enough that they allowed her to play for a few hours with Jazz and Danny in their snow-covered room. Danny even made various ice sculptures for her.
However, the whereabouts of the Fentons could not remain secret anymore since that afternoon, and people swarmed the small hostel immediately, much to the delight of the owner. Their enthusiasm was certainly a lot bigger than the people in Amity since they wanted to meet the much-talked-about Danny Phantom in person.
Finally, Jack and Maddie decided to cancel the holiday after Maddie could not get into the local market without being mobbed. They were on the flight back to Amity the next day. Danny slightly regretted the outcome (he was having fun when the heat had turned into snow!). Jazz was grumbling all the way about missed opportunities to tan and walk on the beach, as well as of little brothers whose tendency was impersonating Jack Frost at the most inopportune moments. Danny took offense at that.
All in all it was certainly an eventful trip.
Author's Note: As someone from a two-season country, "snow" is a bit of an unfamiliar concept to me. I remember how excited I was when I visited the States in February. Most of the photographs I took are me posing with the snow! How embarrassing! Lol. So that's the inspiration behind this story.
And yikes, writing dialogues is a pain in the ass. I have to re-write several parts numerous times because I wanted to get the sound right for each character. Not sure if I succeed though. *frowns*
Anyways, your feedback is welcomed as always.
