Deleting the email from Vlad, which the subject lines were beginning to sound more threatening than pleading, Danny clicked on the one from Valerie.
He fought a chuckle to her reaction to his describing some of the farm chores. Disbelief. And repulsed, repelled, revolted. One would think some dirt wouldn't bother her after getting her job at the Nasty Burger and her skirmishes with ghosts. But apparently, always room to complain.
Speaking of that, it'd been a few emails, Danny had tossed in the question...
He frowned.
The number was lower than the last one.
What was going on?
Why were there less ghosts?
Eyebrows furrowing deeper and deeper as he read her journal-like update as to what has been going on. Dash with the statue thing, forcefully talking people into it now, Valerie and Star assuming out of guilt and remorse...for both Danny and Jazz?
Oh right.
Dash had that crush on Jazz.
The constant throb sharpened.
As if Dash could impress a girl gone.
Danny's fist clenched, scowling. And read on.
Spike had his punishment reduced thanks to a few of the student body creating a petition with the art teacher. They'd placed the boy in charge of creating a fresh design in the gym. Which. Spike? Sports? The school mascot? That boy was either going to sneak something into the design or sneak it into the design after whatever he came up was approved.
His eyebrows pinched closer together, the numbers Valerie gave still bothering him, searching for a clue as to why.
There was some stunt Paulina had pulled to divert class so papers due got pushed back a full two weeks. Lancer would-
Really!?
-never fall for that, or given that much extra time. Not even for the sport kids.
And Danny severely doubted he or his family-
Ow.
-or Sam or Tucker-
Ow.
-affected her so much she couldn't do the assignment. As if she did it.
Palm burning, Danny forced his hand open and flat onto his leg. Using that as an excuse. As though Paulina was hurting from any of it. His fingers dug into his knee, anger building back up.
Then.
Oh.
His grip and anger let up.
The one doing it, Sally used to be one of the ones in Tech Club with Tucker-
Ow! Danny's hand flew up to grip his chest, holding himself steady.
-back in the middle school. The two of them used to fiercely debate pros and cons to everything. Especially over what was the best PDA model out there.
It was more like Sally was affected rather-
Holy shit!
Hand and jaw dropped.
That was the cousin!?
Picture in full view, Danny goggled.
Tetslaff.
In a dress.
Arm in arm.
Giggling!?
With...he was smiling all gooey at her!?
Pearly white teeth, some strange mix of romance book cover muscles guy with Lancer's nose and jawline, appearing as though he should replace Orlando Bloom in the pirate sequel.
"Duuude!"
Freezing, Danny went wide eyed, frantically clicking the 'x' as the kids nearby jolted and tried to look, scrambling up and logging himself off, turning to get out of the small library before-
The librarian's eyes pinned him in place. Trapped in the pathway between the two long tables set up with the few computers in here. Backwards lead to a wall.
Danny swallowed and tried for a smile.
Her arms crossed.
"Sorry?"
"I don't condone students making themselves distractions in the library."
His head bobbed.
"Understood."
Her head slowly rotated to the three other students on computers. They all sat, ducking heads, getting out of view and pretending they hadn't been looking. She tutted at them.
"I believe you all should be wrapping things up. First class starts in less than four minutes. The green passing light is already on."
Heads twisted to the door, finding the small four-inch square light above it lit up. Eyes went wide, typing and clicking and muttering up on frantic. The printer stuttered to life for a last minute paper.
"You." She intoned and there was no question to whom she was speaking to.
"Y-yes?"
"I've noticed your choosen books. When you have enough spare time, the two in the other library have selected a few books for you. Your name is in the system, checking them out if you so wish will not be an issue."
"Uh... Thank you? The other library?"
She sniffed. "Take the hallway into the middle school. You cannot miss it. Librarian's desk is in the middle of the massive room."
"Oh. Okay. I'll be sure to look." He promised weakly under her peircing gaze.
"Good. Now go. I won't be filling out any tardy form."
Nodding, Danny scooted by her and out the door to get to class.
Pushing that from his mind, pushing certain people out of mind, Danny turned over the ghost issue in his mind. Not his. With whatever that was. He swallowed at that, shoving fear and panic aside for later, maybe never.
Where were they all? Were they not causing noticeable trouble? No trouble at all? Not coming into Amity Park? Why? What was differ-
Him.
He wasn't there.
Stopping in the middle of the row, Danny stood, frozen in front of his desk.
He wasn't there.
So...they had less reason, no reason to go to Amity, to cause trouble?
What did that mean?
"Hey man, you're blocking a bit."
Bonelessly, Danny dropped into his seat. Mind racing.
"You doing okay?"
What did that mean?
She could be downplaying the number, but he doubted it.
Other option.
Portals. Portal.
If it was because the portal was currently closed, that shouldn't lower the numbers to this extent. Not from what was tested, known, noticed.
After the portal first blasted on, the already weaker barrier between thinned more. Natural portals formed easier in Amity Park now. He'd gotten that much out of his Mom and Dad-
Ow! Shit!
"Man? Hey, Danny?"
-rambling on. Amity Park had been chosen for higher readings. Which went higher after the portal, as did natural portals even if they were iffier to cross than the stability offered by the Fenton Portal.
Danny didn't need to hear it from them or Tucker, he had first hand experience as to that number rising up to a new normal after he hit the switch.
He hit the switch.
His fault.
Portals.
Ghosts.
Issues.
Troubles.
He caused it.
Danger.
Hurt.
Pain.
Death.
All of it.
Him.
Notes: Did I just possible add to his pain/problems? Probably yeah. But. Mentally, I'm amused by the image of this picture Star and Valerie finally managed to take and send to Danny. (The light side, that little silver lining of good instead of...yeaaah) And once again, I ask my brain, where is this going, what is going on with this? Fun for me. A mystery and discovery for all! Ha ha!