The three of them—Sam, Danny, and Tucker—were walking to the Tasty Burger—a fast food restaurant which was popular with teenagers, its sign had been defiled by vandals, replacing the T with a graffitied N, making it effectively the Nasty Burger—after school ended, something they had done every once in awhile before, Danny supposed they all had the same thought: settle back into normalcy. Since the Nasty Burger—it really was the Nasty Burger, as far as teens were concerned—was walking distance from Casper High they'd departed almost immediately afterward. Danny sent a text on his tiny cell phone to his mother letting her know where he was. Surely she'd understand. He needed to do things like this again.

Danny shivered, a wintry chill shooting through his spine, the frigidity in his torso swelled, a—fog—swarming up his throat and he found he had to open his mouth to release it, to get it out, it was a bluish white mist. He hiccuped, blinking at what just happened.

The next thing Danny knew, Tucker was spluttering, "W-what the hell?" Danny and Sam turned, and Tucker...

...was...

...being lifted up...

...into the air.

Tucker's clothes were rumpled in his midsection as if something was wrapped around him, pulling him off the sidewalk. Danny froze, unbelieving. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream.

"What the hell is going on?!" Tucker shouted, trying to free himself in vain.

Sam yelped and Danny looked at her—

A green tentacle yanked her backwards onto her backside.

Danny's first thought was, Oh, my god, this makes no sense, then, I want to make whatever is happening to them stop.

The panic sparking in him seemed to gather in his chest in an instant, the whole thing must have happened in a second, but to Danny it was a whole lifetime as his fists clenched and a sense of, I'll help you, see if anyone stops me, overcame him. White-azure lights washed over him, he didn't have the sense of mind to actually look at them, only felt them as they passed. It didn't matter to him right at that minute that he was lighter, bouncier, altogether different, he was consumed by a need. A need to...fight.

He stared straight at the things, glowing, ugly, writhing things, and leaped. He vaulted upwards, he would have flinched at how unnatural it was, but his fists slammed into slimy forms on their own, in accordance to the building rage in him. How dare anything touch who he cared about? He was furious...and bashing onto the concrete, the back of his skull cracking, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. A low rumbling sound came from the creatures. It was terrifyingly...distinctly amused.

In Danny's eyes, what happened next was a blur, but a fierce one.

There were two of them, his brain noted distantly. They looked vaguely like octopuses, angry red eyes and snarling mouths where he was fairly certain natural octopuses didn't have them. He rammed and kicked with all his might, more than he ever knew he had, until at some point Sam was no longer screaming. She, and Tucker, were dropped hastily, unkindly. As they were Danny's goal, he slowed to a halt in his activities. One of the things let loose an inhuman screech, disappearing, the second following shortly after.

The aggression that flooded him gradually petered out; he was breathless in its wake. It had been a guide, bizarrely. It was the answer to everything, he was complete going along with it. Now...it was gone.

The silence was heavy. Danny's heart beat a mile a minute, though something about said beat felt off.

"What the fuck. Just happened." Tucker.

Danny whirled to face them with wide eyes, "Are you okay?!" Distantly he knew that wasn't the right thing to ask, but it was somehow all he cared about. Sam was hugging herself, pale and fearful, Tucker was equally stricken, both of them watching Danny as if he were an animal who'd attack at any provocation. It hit him.

His pants weren't the blue of his jeans, they were brown. His shirt was black with blue trimming. The unmistakable logo of FentonWorks sat inverted in the center. A white strand of hair waved before his eyes. His hair was the exact opposite of the color it was supposed to be.

"This is insane," Tucker said frankly, "I'm going home," the boy stuttered.

Danny didn't argue.

A moment later Tucker's legs seemed to obey him, marching him down the sidewalk in the direction of his house, leaving Sam and Danny alone. Danny wondered if anyone had seen what they went through. He gawked to the right and left but there was nobody standing there with their jaws slack, he didn't see any gaping faces in the windows of any houses. How did no one notice?

"I'm...going home," Sam croaked. She looked so afraid and fragile, Danny didn't know what to say. She spun on her heel and seemed to scramble back the way she'd come, he hoped she'd at least call for her parents to pick her up, he wondered if she'd even tell them what happened. He was by himself with his racing thoughts—was his skin tanner than it usually was? Greener? A nasty aftertaste rose in his mouth; he didn't like the color green anymore. With that sentiment echoing in his brain he recoiled as the coldness once again rose within him, he got a full view of what happened this time; rings as bright as florescent light bulbs materialized at his waist, splitting into two, one moving up, the other going down his lower body. As they did, whatever they touched was replaced with what was there originally. Blue jeans, white and red t-shirt, dark belt. Black hair.

He was himself.

"Hey, honey," Maddie chirped.

"Hi," he said, listlessly.

"Are you alright?"

"Long day, tired. I'm cool."

"I thought you were going out with your friends?"

"I was, but...change of plans," he shrugged. She accepted that.

"Dinner will be ready soon. Sloppy joes!"

Home was...bland, a stark contrast to what occurred only half an hour before Danny returned. He went straight to his room—nobody bothered him, except for his mother when dinner was ready. He ate, on autopilot. Jasmine asked him if something was wrong, he just looked at her and shrugged. He wasn't sure when he fell asleep afterward, but he must have eventually. Waking up the next morning was a task. The event of the previous afternoon didn't feel like it actually happened. It whisked through his mind over and over, as if on repeat.

He ghosted through his morning routine, heading down the stairs to the kitchen. His mother was working on a device, making notes in a sketchbook every now and then, turning it over in her hands contemplatively, pressing buttons and turning wires. His father was drinking coffee, Jasmine sat reading a book. Danny got a bowl, spoon, milk and a cereal box together, making breakfast.

He devoured the crispy cereal half-heartedly, he was hungry, greatly so, in fact, but he wasn't in to it. Just as he was about to put the spoon in the bowl and take it to the sink to rinse it, it fell from his hand as if his grip didn't exist. He realized with a sharp intake of breath that he couldn't see his arm. He goggled at the lack for a solid half-minute. Everyone else was consumed with what they were doing they didn't see his shock.

Maddie turned to Jack, "I think this might actually be ready, sweetheart," she indicated the device. She closed the notebook and her sketchbook of concepts she sometimes carried with her, tucking a pen away inside a pocket of her blouse.

"Fantastic!" Jack said excitedly, "Do you mind turning it on?"

"What do you think we'll find in the middle of our house, Jack?"

"Never hurts to do a test run," he insisted.

"Alright, then," she gave in, tweaking the invention and a beep sounded.

"An ecto-entity is near," Said the hand held machine.

Everything stopped.

Whatever the husband and wife were expecting, it hadn't been that, not even Jack. Maddie's chair creaked beneath her as she went to her feet, following a path the screen seemed to indicate. Her body language was curious. Jasmine rolled her eyes, to Danny's irritation. Hey, if the stupid thing worked, then what was the big deal?

Maddie was walking toward him, though! He shoved his not-there hand behind his back.

"That's—weird," Maddie murmured. She looked at Danny.

It was more than that. It was freaky. Something his parents invented to track beings which might or might not exist was honing in on him. What in god's name did that even mean?

He took a deep sigh, preparing himself, "Actually, I need to tell you guys something..."

The seriousness of his words caught all three of their attentions.

"That's not all you need, Danny," Jazz spoke up in his pause. God, shut up, what are you going to say now, seriously? She stood up from her seat at the kitchen table, moving to stand pointedly between Danny and their parents, "You need guidance, and parents who can provide it!" Danny was flabbergasted. Was she honestly doing this?

"Jasmine," Maddie said slowly, "I know what we do doesn't always make sense sometimes, but you're only—"

"Sixteen," Jasmine interrupted, remorseless, "Biologically. But psychologically, I'm an adult," Danny stepped away from her, his father glanced at him, neither spoke, "And I will not allow your insane obsession with ghosts to pollute the mind of this impressionable little child!"

Was she serious?

"Oh, Jasmine," Maddie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Danny thought he could see hurt in her eyes. He glared at his sister. In his disbelief he lost the will to go on with what he was going to say, "What were you going to tell us, Danny?"

"Never mind," he shook his head, It's not the right time. How do I tell anyone this?

"I'll drive you to school today, Danny," Jazz continued.

"No, you won't," he said, colder than he realized he felt. He couldn't believe how taken aback Jasmine seemed at his response. What was she expecting?

He was surprised when his mother shook her head, "Danny, I know you won't like this, but I think that's a good idea," she was trying to find a compromise, or something, Danny didn't know, but his mother just plain looked tired, "I don't think you'll be able to make the bus," in alarm he checked the clock, realizing she was correct, "Your sister will get you there on time."

Great, that on top of everything else, "Alright, Mom."

Jasmine's car was a pink volkswagen, with a sticker on the back which read, befitting her budding psychiatrist mentality, Have You Hugged Your Inner Child Today? It was ridiculous and Danny swore to god if anyone at school saw him get out of it and spread unsavory comments about him—it would be a last straw, leave it at that. Their mother and father had paid for Jazz's car, knowing she'd be responsible with it. Danny had never been in it before now. It smelled like fresheners on the inside and the backrest was soft. He studied her as she drove, looking away when she caught him. What was going on in her head?

Danny almost thought Tucker'd take the day off, but then again, why would his parents do that? Unless he told them what happened. Evidently, he hadn't. Maybe, they hadn't believed him. Tucker stiffened at the sight of him, they stared at one another. Danny broke the stare and sat at his usual seat. He didn't know what else to do. Everything was crazy, and he had to be even crazier for not freaking out like his best friend was. Did Tuck' want to be friends anymore? By this point, Danny wouldn't be surprised if...

Tucker looked away.

Danny's stomach sank.

Second period with Mr. Falluca's biology class was full of nothing short of mayhem and embarrassment. They were doing a group project with beakers...every single one Danny held, he dropped. They slipped through his palms like his hands didn't exist. Honestly, they didn't. Danny somehow managed to fall on his face while sitting at his desk. Everybody stared unabashedly, even Sam. By this point he just about wanted to die.

On the way to lunch Tucker was in the lead; he looked at Danny differently than he had earlier that morning, almost apologetically.

"I don't know what happened yesterday," Danny said, bluntly.

"Me, neither," Tucker replied, "I'm all for forgetting it ever happened."

Danny blinked. Tuck' was really trying to be funny? Or was he actually serious? Sometimes it was hard to tell with him. But about this?

"Uh...I'm going to tell my parents. Are you going to tell yours?"

"They wouldn't understand," Sam scoffed, "Or they wouldn't even believe it."

Danny had a feeling she was channeling her own bitterness towards her parents for a moment there, but he didn't comment on it, "Well, we have to do something! Sorry Tuck', but I don't think we can deny that that happened," he said, "I—"

Sam and Tucker were becoming taller and taller.

Danny was falling. Into the floor! Oh my god—

Sam reacted first, grabbing him by the arm and yanking him upwards, Tucker followed suit, getting a hold of his other arm. Danny was far too light to be natural. He floated a few inches above the ground before his feet went solid yet again and he stumbled as he landed, his real weight returning.

Then he went completely invisible.

He couldn't see himself at all. He backed up into a vending machine—went straight through it. It...tingled. He ran back out of it, after staring at the contents around his head for a moment. Bags of chips and cookies. Out of blind fear he rejoined his friends—his body materialized again.

"Dude," Tucker shook his head like a possessed man, "I can't deal with this."

"Fine!" Danny burst, "Don't! You think I want this either?!"

Tucker looked slapped.

Danny felt remorse. But what could he say? Sam was uncharacteristically quiet; that finalized his decision. He turned around and walked to the lunchroom by himself.