Paradoxical (by timydamonkey)

Author's Notes: I am not happy with this chapter. At all. But it's been too long so I figure it's better than nothing. First I had my exams, then I was just lazy after them, then I sat down to do some and got writer's block after four lines. Then I sat down again to write this afternoon, and my outline rebelled, and I got writer's block in five different places - and let's face, it my chapters are quite short anyway! In other words: this chapter and I have major issues.

On the bright side, you can thank today being my birthday (woot, I'm 16!) for inspiring me to give you all a present. As always, thank you for the reviewers, the readers and the 14 people with this this on their story alert. Wow, that's more than the reviews for both chapters - it gives me a far more accurate view of how many are reading and liking this.

Chapter Two: Chills:

"Danny, are you sure you're okay?"

"What are you talking about, Sam? I'm fine – never been better!"

Sam and Tucker exchanged another look. Danny really wasn't the best liar.

They were heading back to Danny's house, but so far conversation had been anything but comfortable. It really wasn't easy to have a good conversation when your best friend was acting so… oddly.

Something was majorly wrong.

"I know we keep asking this, but dude, are you sure you're-"

Although Danny had a good idea what Tucker was going to say, he never heard it. He stopped. A chill had suddenly racked hold of his spine and he shivered, and for a moment it seemed like his breath could be seen hanging in the air. That was ridiculous, though; however cold Danny was, it wasn't weather where every breath should be visible. He started walking again, berating himself. He was clearly hallucinating, because something like that never happened to normal people –

But he wasn't normal, was he? Not any more.

Why was he panicking? It was nothing. He was just being ridiculously jumpy for no reason; that was it –

"Er, Danny – have you been smoking?" Sam asked unsurely.

Danny blinked at her and said indignantly, "No! Why would I do that? Geez, Sam, you're staring to sound like my parents, what could possibly make you think I've ignored the fifty million warnings you get?"

Sam looked unconvinced. Why had he been so overly defensive? He didn't know. But it was true – he hadn't been smoking! Why did he have to justify himself to them anyway? Why would they even care? What had even made them think like that?

He was angry. He was very angry… and maybe it was just in his mind's eye, but Tucker and Sam seemed to have edged away from him! Who did they think they were?

And then it hit him; maybe the breath had seemed like… smoke? It was obvious; the only possible explanation! The anger completely dissipated and he smiled wearily.

"Sorry," he told them, "rough day."

He started walking again, and Sam and Tucker lingered behind for a moment.

"Did you see that, Sam? Man, what was up with his eyes!"

"I hoped I was imagining it…"

They both looked back at Danny, and decided that whatever was going on had to be really important. What else could explain how Danny's eyes had suddenly flashed an intense green colour?

It was really only a few minutes later when the day got even stranger. Nobody could say that floating electrical appliances was a normal occurrence in Amity Park.

"What the?" said Sam, voicing the same concerns as the general populous of Amity Park.

Tucker, meanwhile, had other problems. "My babies! Hey, get back here! I still have five payments on that! How could my PDA betray me like that?" he wept overdramatically. Tucker seemed to have a disturbing relationship was his electrical appliances.

Danny stood frozen. This… wasn't normal! And if his parents had taught him anything, it was that ghosts could be the only ones to cause this sort of thing.

Maybe… maybe it was him! No, that was really absurd: how could he make everything float and not know about it? He was still handling whatever had happened, that was all – at the moment, he felt like he needed to lie down and sleep. Now was obviously not the time, though.

Besides… he couldn't be a ghost! Last night had been some kind of dream; he knew it.

Then the cackling started. "I am TECHNUS! MASTER OF TECHNOLOGY!"

The three of them spun around to face what appeared to be quite the 'Nutty Professor'… floating… in the air.

Ghost. His parents had told him they were evil, and this was all the proof he needed – how could something throwing stray washing machines at people be good? It wasn't like it was an accident either, if the continuous cackling was to be believed. The ghost was still shrieking too, "…I will destroy the world!"

"You've got to be kidding me," muttered Sam.

The ghost – or Technus, as he'd introduced himself – suddenly turned to face them.

"Er, Sam, was it really necessary to attract his attention?"

"Well, excuse me for not knowing that thing apparently has supersonic hearing!"

Danny said nothing, just stared at the ghost, wide-eyed. It stared back at him, evaluating him, before slowly whooping (of joy?) and throwing an overenthusiastically rotating blender at his head, before flying off, probably to terrorize some other part of the town. Danny ducked with instincts that came out of nowhere. The blender ricocheted off his head and hit the floor, still spinning crazily.

He stood up. It was true, he wasn't a ghost – he didn't have crazy powers like that anyway, he couldn't control electronics or anything! He was not a ghost! He walked forwards silently. He needed to lie down even more than before.

Tucker and Sam traded uneasy glances again and then followed.

"They were obviously ghosts," argued Tucker.

"Hello, ghosts aren't meant to exist?"

"What else would you suggest?" asked Tucker, "that it's an alien?"

"Don't be in an idiot! But come on, ghosts… isn't that just a little far-fetched?" questioned Sam.

"Ghosts exist," Danny deadpanned; his only contribution to the conversation so far.

"Your parents… they're paranormal experts, right?" said Sam, an idea forming in her mind.

"Yes," confirmed Danny, not liking where this was going.

"Well, why don't we just go and speak to them about it? They can tell us if it was a ghost, right? And how ghosts are… and how that thing could have control over everything like that?"

"It was a ghost… and ghosts are evil, that's all you need to know!" protested Danny.

"What are you so afraid about? Come on; we'll be fine!"

"Yeah, dude, it seems like the best idea to me."

He was too tired to argue anymore. "Okay, okay," he muttered, but couldn't help thinking this was a very bad idea.

Author's Notes: Reviews are, as always, appreciated.