Chapter 8: The Play's the Thing… Again

"The Beautiful Princess and the Handsome Prince?" Tucker asked. "That's the play for me. Can you see me starring a play with Paulina as my Beautiful Princess?"

"Tucker, anyone who casts you as the Handsome Prince would cast one of Cinderella's stepsisters as the Beautiful Princess." Sam commented.

"You said it, Manson." Paulina said as she approached Danny and his friends. "Now step aside as I sign up for the role that fits me the best."

"Paulina, this isn't Snow White." Danny's said. "There's no Evil Queen for you to play."

"Good one, Danny!" Sam said in approval. "I'd go for The Wizard of Oz but I've already called Paulina the Wicked Witch of the West too many times."

"Ha. Ha." Paulina sarcastically replied as she signed up and left.

Tucker then signed up for the role of Handsome Prince. "Really, Tucker?" Sam asked and glared at Tucker.

"What?" Tucker asked back. "Danny's the one dating a real Princess. Let me settle for someone who's at least beautiful."

"As if a nerd like you would be able to get the role when someone like me is around." Dash Baxter said as he showed up.

"I know the rules, Dash." Tucker replied. "Unless you pass the make-up test, you cannot qualify for school plays."

"Mr. Foley's right, Mr. Baxter." Mr. Lancer said. "And I hope you've studied for the test because you've got less than ten minutes left."

Danny then signed in. "You know Mr. Lancer, Sam." He said after Dash and Mr. Lancer left. "If we don't get roles, we'll have to take a test about the play."

"True that." Sam replied as she begrudgingly signed up as well.

Later on, the students were evaluated. "Mr. Foley, you'll go first." Mr. Lancer said.

"To be or not to be?" Tucker asked. "That's the question."

"No, Mr. Foley." Mr. Lancer replied. "The real question is why there are people who think such a basic demonstration of Shakespeare is impressive. Next." He then looked at his list. "Ms. Sanchez, that's you."

"Oh, my beloved gho… I mean Prince." Paulina said. "I'll gladly dance with you."

"A little slip but overall good." Mr. Lancer commented. "Mr. Baxter, you barely passed the make-up test, so you're next."

"Oh, poor Yoric." Dash said. "I knew you so well."

"Good one, Mr. Baxter." Mr. Lancer declared. "Next."

Danny went to the stage. "Once more unto the breach! Once more unto the breach!"

"Henry V?" Mr. Lancer asked. "Now that's impressive, Mr. Fenton. Next!"

Sam showed up wearing a dark dress. "Prince, do you wanna dance?"

"Ms. Manson, this play requires a more classical Princess and your dress makes me think of Snow White's Evil Queen, not a Princess." Mr. Lancer commented. "Next!"

"Ha!" Paulina laughed at Sam being compared to the Evil Queen.

After the auditions were over, Danny phone called Natasha. "And Mr. Lancer liked the 'once more unto the breach' line?" Natasha asked.

"Thank you, by the way, Natasha." Danny replied.

"You're welcome, Danny." Natasha said. "So, are you becoming more popular at school now that they know you're dating a Princess?"

"No, because the A-Listers are suspecting you're being possessed." Danny answered and heard Natasha laughing. "I'm serious."

"No, that's Harry Potter's Godfather." Natasha replied.

"Hahaha! Good one!" Danny commented. "Would you like to watch the play?"

"And see you kiss another Princess?" Natasha teasingly asked.

"Even if I get the role, it won't be a real kiss, Natasha." Danny reassured her.

"It's a date!" Natasha replied.

After the conversation ended, Danny went Phantom and started flying back home when he felt his ghost sense. "Uh-oh. I hope it's the Box Ghost." He said.

"I'll have your pelt on my wall, whelp." The ghost said, dashing Danny's hope.

"Skulker, why don't you go hunt Plasmius for a change?" Danny asked out of frustration.

"Because I only hunt unique prey and corrupt politicians are a dime a dozen, whelp." Skulker answered.

"Hahahaha. As a hunter, you're a great comedian." Danny commented.

Skulker then fired some missiles but Danny intercepted all of them with his ghost beams. "Give up, Skulker. Your aim is so bad you cannot hit the broad side of a barn."

"Oh, yeah?" Skulker was really angry this time. "Well, there's no barn here but the Fentonworks station will do." He said and fired missiles at it. To his confusion, Danny wasn't a little bit worried. Everything was explained when some lasers came out of there and intercepted the missiles.

"What do you think of the Fenton-Anti Missiles, Skulker?" Danny maliciously asked.

Before Skulker had a chance to answer, Jack Fenton showed up from a window. "Go away, you putrid pair of poltergeists!" He demanded.

"We'll meet another time, whelp." Skulker said as he left. Danny then hid somewhere, changed back into Danny Fenton, and went home.

"Welcome home, son." Maddie said. "Did you run into any of those ghosts who attacked our home?"

"No, but I've just auditioned for a school play." Danny replied and handed his mother a flyer.

"The Beautiful Princess and the Handsome Prince?" Maddie asked and frowned. "You're not doing it to get a chance to kiss Sam without making Princess Natasha jealous, are you?"

"No, I'm doing it to get out of doing a test on the play, Mom." Danny answered while frowning back. "And why would you expect the girl to be Sam?"

"Clueless." Danny's sister and his parents muttered at the same time.

"Anyway, I also have good news!" Jack happily exclaimed. "V-Man's entered a car at Zoravia, Illinois' annual race and asked me to drive it! When I win, he'll give me ten percent of the money prize!"

"Don't you mean "if", Dad?" Danny asked his father.

"Have a positive thinking, son." Jack replied. "And besides, think of all we can buy with a million dollars?"

"Jack, I thought the first prize was a five million dollar check." Maddie commented.

"And it is, Maddie." Jack replied. "What's your point?"

"Ten percent of five million dollars is half a million dollars, not a whole million." Maddie pointed out.

Jack shrugged. "Well, it's still better than nothing." He said and his family nodded.

The next day, it turned out Dash would be the Prince; Paulina would be the Princess; and Danny and Sam were understudies. "I'm not sure I was understood at all, Sam." Danny commented and Sam giggled a little.

"The worst part is having to see them acting the love scenes." Sam replied. "It almost makes me regret getting out of the test."

"At least you guys have a chance to be on stage." Tucker said with a grumble. "I'm pulling the curtains and will have to take the test."

"Still better than being a tree." Danny said and then felt his ghost sense. "Uh-oh."

"BEWARE!" The Box Ghost said. "I am the Box Ghost, master of all things cardboard and square! Feel the fury of the Lost and Found Box!"

"Sir, that box is property of Casper High." Mr. Lancer stated, not afraid at all of the ghost. "I insist you return it immediately."

"Aren't you afraid of me?" The Box Ghost asked out of confusion.

"Are you kidding me?" Mr. Lancer asked with his usual bored expression. "You're the lamest ghost I've ever seen and I've seen kids wearing bedsheets as ghost costumes."

Before the Box Ghost had a chance to reply, Danny sucked him into a Fenton Thermos. "Good work, Mr. Fenton." Mr. Lancer said.

"Thank you, Mr. Lancer." Danny replied. He felt good receiving praise as Danny Fenton, even if for catching an easy target like the Box Ghost.

"My ghost boy would've done a better job." Paulina scoffed.

"He's not here, Ms. Sanchez." Mr. Lancer replied.

That night, it was the play and Danny was called to replace Dash. "What happened to him?" He asked.

"Mr. Baxter twisted an ankle during football practice, Mr. Fenton." Mr. Lancer said. "Hopefully, he'll recover on time for the next game. As for now, the show must go on."

Danny went on stage, assuming he'd get to kiss Paulina. 'Why couldn't it happen back when I wasn't dating anyone else?' He thought. However, it turned out Sam was replacing Paulina. "Sam?" He asked upon recovering from the shock. "What happened?"

"Paulina developed a case of stage fright after learning you'd be replacing Dash, Danny." Sam said.

Meanwhile, at least one viewer didn't like the idea. "After all those years waiting for Danny and the goth to kiss, and it had to happen just when he's dating somebody else." Jack muttered.

"What're you talking about, Mr. Fenton?" Natasha asked.

"Princess, everyone here except for Danny knows that Sam has a crush on him." Maddie told the Princess.

"Ha." Greg scoffed. "Do you really believe that's Princess Natasha?"

"Of course she is." Jack replied. "Don't you see the resemblance?"

"No." Greg bluntly replied.

The next day, Danny told his friends about the race being held in Zoravia. "Honestly, if I were Mr. Fenton, I'd make my own car so I could win the whole prize for myself." Sam commented.

"I wouldn't enter a car race even for a million dollars." Tucker added.

"Tucker, the first prize is a five million dollar check." Danny replied.

"Wow!" Tucker exclaimed. "Sign me in!"

"Tucker, do you have a driver's license?" Sam asked.

"Uh, sign me in for the next race!" Tucker exclaimed.

"Tucker, last time I checked, it's not an open tournament." Sam said. "Drivers must be invited to join."

"Then how was Mr. Fenton invited to enter?" Tucker asked. "He never raced professionally! Or am I wrong?"

"No, Tucker, and that makes me even more worried." Danny commented. "Why would Vlad bother with pulling strings to enter my Dad instead of hiring a professional to race for him?"

"Because the professional wanted a bigger percentage?" Tucker guessed.

"Tucker, this is serious." Danny admonished his friend. "The fruitloop might hope my Dad suffers an accident during the race. He even might be plotting an accident!"

"By what I've seen of how your Dad drives, Vlad doesn't need to." Tucker commented, earning a glare from his friend. "It's true and you know it."

"Danny, can't you suggest your Dad should stay here in Amity Park to protect the town from ghosts?" Sam suggested.

"I've tried but my parents said the Red Huntress and the Guys in White could help whenever there were more ghosts than Mom could handle." Danny answered. "Fortunately, I'm going there so I can protect Dad from whatever Vlad's planning. Do you guys have your ecto-weapons just in case Vlad tries to capture you while I'm away?"

"Yes." His friends answered and nodded.

Danny was suddenly grabbed by Dale, who shoved him into a locker. "This is for jinxing Dash." The bully said.

"The coast is clear, Danny." Sam muttered and Danny phased himself out. "Sometimes I wonder why I don't encourage you to get even with those bullies." The goth said.

"Ever since that incident, I'm afraid using my powers like that would lead me to becoming him." Danny explained and his friends understood he meant his dark self.

"Danny, since you're going to Zoravia, will Natasha watch the race with you?" Tucker asked and didn't notice Sam glaring at him. "She knows about you and Vlad, after all."

"Yes, Tucker." Danny answered.

"Danny, how about you have the cameras checked?" Tucker suggested. "Maybe they caught Dale."

"Unless it's to avoid being punished for the bullies' antics, there's no point in becoming a tattletale." Danny replied.

End chapter.

Answer to Guest: I'm surprised someone expected Tucker to win.

Answer to Leonardo (Guest): Lamento desapontá-lo.