Chapter 4: Oh Canada
At Fenton Works, Tucker leaned into the couch as he turned on the television, having some popcorn in a bowl for himself. He used the remote to turn on a movie as Sam stood in his way.
"Uh, Sam? You're blocking my view of Primal Wars 2: Revenge of the Ape Men." He complained.
"We're supposed to be house sitting." Sam points out with her fists at her hips.
"Yeah, and right now I'm sitting in their house. Ecto-filtrator taken care of, newly repaired ghost portal turned off, and with the on and off button outside this time, all taken care of." Tucker said as he took a handful of popcorn.
Sam groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Fine… just because they flew near Ontario Canada, doesn't mean you have run of the place. I'm heading to the Skulk & Lurk…" She said.
"The place Clockwork's note said was too lazy or whatever to notice the book they sold you wasn't really theirs?" Tucker asks.
Sam glowered at him before storming away. Tucker shrugged as he went back to watching.
As he did, he was unaware one ghost was not in the Ghost Zone. She was watching the two from upstairs, having overheard them.
Ember was leaning on the wall as she pulled back and pondered.
"Canada? Well… I always thought of trying out my music career up North." She said to herself before smiling and taking off.
Tucker remained unaware as his movie started.
Elsewhere
The plane finally landed. The Fentons waited for their luggage as Jack sat down and pouted.
"Ugh… this is why I hate the airport…" Jack said.
Danielle, meanwhile, had an open bag of small cookies she stuffed her face with.
"You were right, the food kinda didn't taste great…" She said with her mouthful.
"Exactly!" Jack said.
"Which is why I bought this." Danielle said, eating with her mouth open.
Jazz stared at her eating habits disapprovingly before thinking back and smiling at the first time she met her.
Flashback
A few months ago
Danny, after finding Danielle and convincing her to come home with him, had just arrived at Fenton Works with her.
"No one's home…" Danny said.
"So… I don't have to meet anyone? Oh, what a darn shame…" Danielle said, actually relieved.
"Well, I did promise you a meal. Let's see what we have." Danny said.
"Goody..." Danielle said, already hungry again.
Danny led Danielle to the kitchen, but someone was already in there, coming from the side door.
Danny's older sister, Jazz.
"Hey, Danny." Jazz said as she entered the kitchen.
Gasping, Danielle hid behind Danny, not even thinking to turn invisible.
"Jazz? I thought you were out on a date?" Danny asks.
"First off, it wasn't a date. Second, turns out he's a Disaster Denier, that's what we're calling them, who got all testy when I questioned why he thinks the whole thing was a hoax so our folks could get-" Jazz then noticed someone behind Danny.
"Uh, those Disaster Deniers really are losers with too much free time on their hands." Danny said as he realized Jazz was staring at Danielle.
"Uh… who is that?" Jazz asks.
"Who?" Danny asks nervously.
"The girl hiding behind you." Jazz answered.
"Uh… oh, her." Danny said with a nervous smile.
He tried to step aside, but Danielle stepped to stay hiding behind him. He stepped again, but she repeated. Realizing she's afraid, he turned invisible.
That left the small girl who had her eyes closed, holding onto him, now exposed.
Danielle opened an eye and realized she was exposed to Jazz, who gasped at her.
"Uh… hi?" Danielle sheepishly went.
It took a moment, but Jazz finally reacted. She reached for Danielle.
"Who are you? Why do you look like Danny?" Jazz asks as she holds the girl up and examines her. "Are you his and Sam's time traveling daughter from the future?"
"Uh… no." Danielle said flatly.
"Heh… about that…" Danny said as he turned visible, standing a few feet away. "I'm gonna need you to… sit down…"
Flashback over
Jazz smiled, thinking back to that time, only to be interrupted by Danielle's loud chewing.
"Danielle, chew with your mouth closed." She said as an order.
"Fine…" Danielle said, crumbs falling out.
Jazz sighed.
She might be Danny's clone but she really takes after Dad more than we do... Jazz thought, almost amused.
Meanwhile, in Amity Park
Sam was trying to go on with her day. Tucker was "busy" house-sitting at Fenton Works, so she was alone.
And she didn't realize until now that since her two best friends aren't here and Jazz and Danielle are with Danny on the trip, it meant that she had no one else to hang out with right now.
I hadn't realized just how few people I actually know. I really need to expand my circle of friends… She thought, hating this.
However, as she tried to figure out what to do with her time, she came across a familiar face that was sulking at the bus stop.
It was Kwan.
He was sitting on a bench and looking miserable. Normally, Sam wouldn't bother speaking with him but the jock noticed her.
"Sam? What are you doing here?" Kwan asked.
Sam stopped, realizing she can't pretend to not see him anymore.
"I'm just passing by… Aren't you supposed to be...I dunno...on a date with a cheerleader or throwing a football at Dash or something?" Sam asked, not really caring and just wanting to leave.
However, she then noticed that the jock looked more miserable, if that is even possible.
"The A-listers were going to go to the beach today, but I forgot my trunks and they didn't want to wait for me..." He said, looking down.
"Wow, really?" Sam sarcastically asked, not really surprised to see how the treat their own friends.
"Star was the only other person who didn't go, but that's because her dad's taking her to a theme park out of town." Kwan said.
"At least she has familial reasons." Sam said to herself.
"Where are Danny and Tucker?" Kwan asked suddenly.
"Danny's on a trip with his family to Canada and Tucker is busy...house sitting for them..." Sam said, giving the abridged version of the truth.
To her surprise, the jock suddenly looked happy about something.
"You wanna hang out?" He asked.
"Uh, what?" Sam asked, not sure if she heard him right.
"You just said your friends are busy and I got no one else to hang out with. Not like you have a long list of people to spend time with." Kwan said like it was simple.
However, it was obvious he was desperate to hang out with someone.
"Uh, last time I checked, I thought I wasn't "cool enough" to hang out with an A-lister..." Sam said sarcastically with air quotes. "Plus, you and your friends have never exactly been nice to me or my friends..." She reminded.
"But we hung out that one time Danny dated Paulina and she suddenly stopped liking him..." Kwan reminded.
"Don't remind me..." Sam said, crossing her arms.
As she mentally cursed Kitty for that, Kwan clasped his hands and got on his knees.
"Please. I really don't wanna be alone..." He said, begging now.
Sam wanted to refuse but she knew that Tucker wasn't planning on leaving Fenton works for a while and her only other option would be to go home and deal with her parents' attempt to dress her up and set her up with some rich moron they picked out.
So, she gave in.
"Fine, but just know that I want no one to know about this, we take this to our graves..." Sam said, being serious.
Kwan didn't seem to care, he just smiled.
"Sweet, let's go!" He said as he took her by the hand and ran along despite not knowing where to go.
"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?" She mumbled under her breath as she found herself hanging out with Kwan, of all people again.
In Canada
The SUV they were given as part of all expenses paid had more than enough gas to get them to their destination.
They soon arrived in Ontario, passing by Toronto as the family looked out the windows.
The entire town was big, snowy and bright with many mountains in sight. Making it look very beautiful and picture-worthy.
It was then Jazz noticed something very wrong, very off.
"Wait… snow? At this time of year? It's almost Summer." She points out.
"That's the main reason we're here. Some time after the asteroid, the snow started up. No one is sure why though, but they think a ghost is involved." Maddie said.
Hearing that, Jazz looked at Danny.
"Is this the work of the Wicked Wind?" Jazz asks.
"... you mean Vortex?" Danny asks.
"Sure, whatever." Jazz said.
"Well… I don't see clouds with evil faces…" Danny points out, looking up. "Besides, the snow doesn't seem so… dangerous."
''I guess that rules Wicked Wind out..." Jazz said.
"Vortex." Danny corrected.
"I still say my name is better..." Jazz grumbled while her brother rolled his eyes.
"Sure, if we see him again, ask him if he'd like to be called that." He said.
Jack's stomach started to grumble.
"Well, better get some Canadian chow. I think I see a mall up ahead. Hopefully it has a place that sells poutine." He said with a grin as he did his best to speed up.
"What's poutine?" Danielle asks.
"Fries with cheese curds topped with a brown gravy." Jazz explained.
"Huh… sounds yummy. And it sounds like I'm not gonna cry about it like Tucker did with those… fries of his own." Danielle said.
"Heheh… yeah…" Jazz went with a nervous smile.
The car pulled up in a spot as the family entered the mall. Thankfully, it had a parking structure that let them go in without heavy clothes.
''This place seems nice, despite the weird weather..." Danielle said as she looked around inside the mall.
"We're here, so let's take a little advantage of the all expenses paid part..." Maddie remembered as she felt like doing some shopping.
''Alright then..." Jazz said.
The family went towards the food court, as all but one was hungry.
Danny sighed as he leaned on a wall, seeing various girls walking by and groaning.
"Right… because this will get my mind off Ember and off dating again." He then sees a girl not far, chewing gum.
This girl was only slightly shorter than him but looked tough. She had dark blue-dyed hair, seemed to be of Asian ancestry, had a nose ring and she was dressed in a punk kind of fashion, wearing a black top, gray cargo pants and blue sneakers.
Danny groaned mentally.
Okay, Sam's a Goth, Ember dresses in Punk Rock clothes… and now this girl dresses like this. Do I have to be attracted to all girls who dress all dark and stuff? Well… may as well give it a try. He thought.
He put a hand through his hair and checked his breath.
"Here it goes…" He said as he approached the girl. "Hi, come here often?" He asks nervously.
The girl gave him a quick glance as if disapproving him.
"No, I live here." She snarked.
"Heh… you're funny. You're cool, even with that outfit." He said, realizing he's made a mistake as she took offense. "No, I mean! It looks nice… for you. You're… pretty? Uh… lemme start over here." He extended his hand. "I'm Fanny Dent- Danny Fenton! Danny Fenton…" The girl just took her gum out and put it in his palm before leaving. "So… what's your name?!" He called out with a smile before groaning and walking to the trash and discarding the gum.
She then left the food court, not even looking at him.
Danny groaned while his sisters had watched how he got shot down.
"Terrible…" Jazz said, shaking her head.
"How exactly did he end up with Sam if he's this weak-kneed?" Danielle asks as she eats her lunch.
"They're old friends." Jazz explained.
"Too bad he can't be old friends with other girls…" Danielle said with her mouthful.
"Yeah. Well… enjoy his inability to meet girls while you can." Jazz said. "With Sam, they were at least still trying to be more and it gave him plenty of time to hang with you. But if he meets someone he really connects with, it won't be the same."
Hearing that got Danielle to stop eating.
"Really?" Danielle asks.
"Really… but don't worry, with his poor luck with meeting girls, accidentally kissing Ember might be the closest he'll get to meeting them." Jazz assured with a wink.
Danielle pretended to laugh before her eyes darted to Danny talking to another girl.
Now, she was worried, as she's spent most of her time with Danny after her adoption.
"We might not hang out as much?" She asks herself.
"Uh hi...uh… I'm from America… not that you needed to know that right now…" Danny went sweating.
It was a petite blonde girl with blue eyes, whose hair is in a bob cut and she was dressed in a pink, girly dress that reached her knees. Unlike the other girl, the girl noticed that Danny seemed nervous and at the very least, tried to be gentle in her rejection.
"I'm sorry… I know you're trying… but you're too nervous and frankly I'm not interested in guys with hair like yours. I mean, it's fine for you, but I like natural blondes. I'm sorry… better luck next time." She said sympathetically before walking off.
Once she did, Danny's head hung as he walked to the table his father was eating at and slammed his face into the table.
"Hungry, son? This place called Burger Emperor is actually pretty decent." He said, but Danny ignored it. Jack realized the problem. "Maybe take a break from getting shot down? You've looked better after almost getting wasted from a ghost."
"You saw, huh?" Danny asks.
"I sure did." Jack said.
"Look… I was hoping to just not have to worry about dating anymore after what happened with Sam. Then the whole Ember thing and… well…"
"You suddenly realize she's very attractive and now like her?" Jack asks disapprovingly.
"Whaaaaaaat?" Danny went with a nervous smile before sighing. "Okay, yeah…" He groaned again. "The other night, we fought and I might have… admitted to thinking she's attractive…"
"Danny… I doubt anything you could say would make her think that…" Jack said assuringly.
"I told her she has beautiful eyes without thinking about it." Danny said quickly and ashamed of his words.
His father's eyebrows almost left his forehead.
"Okay, that's bad. That's a definite sign you're attracted to her and we should do something about it. Maybe it's not too late to see if that Valerie girl is still interested." Jack said.
"Even ignoring the whole thing about Ember being evil, I'm not sure I really wanna rely on girls I know on an almost daily basis. Valerie even offered to be someone to go to if I feel like it, but honestly? Maybe what I need is to meet other girls? Girls I don't know because if I only deal with girls I know, I might be as bitter and lonely as… you know who…" Danny said.
His father knew who he was referring to and frowned.
"First off, you'd never be anything like that. Second, you've had no trouble with this Ember girl before." Jack said.
"That's because I didn't see her as anything but a villain… until now…" Danny said with a down look on his face, like he was ashamed to admit it.
"Well, only one thing to do." Jack said.
"Right… I got it." Danny said as Jack smiled. "Go back to Kentucky and give Sally May a try…"
As Danny got up, Jack pulled him back to his seat.
"I mean… find someone out here." Jack said, gesturing to all around.
"Wait, really?" Danny asks.
"Sure. You've had no trouble with Ember before because you only saw her as an evil woman and now just a woman… but maybe another woman can get your mind off her, preferable one who isn't trying to take over the world. Just be confident in your own pelt, be who you are: the funny, fun-loving, fearless… something else beginning with an F, boy you are. The way I see it… we Fentons have the right kind of charm. Just be funny, be nice, but not too much of both." Jack said.
"I… guess that can work.." Danny said, smiling.
"Sure, the next girl you see for the first time here, give it a try." Jack said.
As Danny smiled, someone tugged at his arm.
"Hey, Bro… I think I saw a game store here. Wanna check it out before we go?" Danielle asks.
"Sure." He said.
As the two dark haired siblings left together, the mother and eldest daughter began talking as Jack just blissfully ate.
"So, how's she doing in school?" Jazz asks.
"Grade wise, alright. But…" Maddie went, worried.
"... but?" Jazz asks.
"She barely interacts with the rest of her schoolmates unless she needs to. Her teachers tell me she's not even trying to make friends." Maddie admits.
"I noticed. I don't know if it's because he's the donor or he was the first really friendly face she knew, but she's really attached to Danny." Jazz said.
"As soon as we get home… we should have a talk with her." Maddie said.
Danny saw Danielle looking through games as he took a breath and looked around.
"Okay… first girl I see… I talk to." He said to himself as he saw a girl who appeared to be 4 skip along as she followed her mother. "After her…" He then saw an old woman walk by. "And her…" He then cringed at the sight of an overweight 20-something woman in an even more punk-look than the girl from before and a pierced nose. "Okay… definitely not her…"
He kept trying to find potential options as his little sister found what she wanted.
"Got what I need. This all-expenses-paid-thing is amazing." Danielle said.
"Don't fall in love with it." Danny said.
"Like you and Ember?" Danielle joked. Danny's face turned sour as Danielle laughed. "Kidding… she's too cool for you." She went, walking away.
"Exactl- wait… what?" Danny asked, realizing what she just said.
The two walked to the food court, the siblings were about to grab a bite to eat as Danielle smiled at something to her left.
"It's your new girlfriends…" She said, pointing there.
Danny saw the two girls he tried to approach, talking and clearly knowing each other. He groaned.
"Let's just go…"
Danielle, however, couldn't help but smile.
I guess this means he's not gonna meet someone soon… She thought.
She was relieved while her brother went to pay for their food, and the little girl couldn't help but smile to herself.
Later
As the Fentons reunited and headed to the car, Danny stopped.
"Uh… I'm gonna use the bathroom. Anyone want anything?" Danny asks.
"Get me a large lemonade." Danielle went.
"Same." Jack said.
Maddie looked disapproving as Danny shrugged and went.
They really are alike... He couldn't help but think.
After going to the bathroom, Danny was about to head to the Hot Dog on a Skewer stand when he saw someone walk out of a sporting goods store.
She was a girl slightly taller than him, with auburn hair, blue-green eyes, white tennis shoes, light-blue shorts, white shirt and green hoodie with a zipper from top to bottom. She admired what was in her bag as Danny glanced from top to bottom.
"A girl… One who's the right age and doesn't look like she'd put me in the hospital." He said to himself.
He recalled his father's words in his head.
Just be confident in your own pelt, be who you are: the funny, fun-loving, fearless… something else beginning with an F, boy you are.
"Not sure why I remembered it like that but… here we go." He said before straightening himself and approaching. "Hey, I'm Danny…"
The girl noticed him and decided to act polite.
"Oh, hi. I'm Nat, short for Nathalie." She said. "I'm guessing you're from America?"
"How'd you know?" Danny asks.
"That brand of shirt you wear, I've only ever seen sold in the states." She explained.
"Oh, yeah, I'm from down below, so I guess it's cool to look beneath me." He joked.
To his surprise, she laughed.
"Funny." She said.
Danny blinked in surprise.
"Y-You found that funny?" He asks, smiling.
This must be what Tucker wants every time he makes a joke. Danny thought.
"Yeah. But don't worry, I don't look down on you." She explained.
Danny smiled, feeling a bit of relief.
"So… uh, you live around here?" Danny asks.
"I actually live in Toronto. I'm here for vacation, the snow around here just came out of nowhere, I saw it as a sign I should do some snowboarding." She said.
"Oh, you snowboard?" Danny asks.
"Cha. I just bought some goggles for my next ride." She said, gesturing to her bag. "So, you?"
"Oh… I'm not a snowboarder. My arms and legs are too lanky for that." He joked, getting another laugh out of her. "I'm here for… a business trip my parents are up to." He explained.
"Really? What line of work are they in?" Nat asks.
"Uh… let's just say… they're the be- they're… decent at what they do." Danny answered, not sure how to explain who they are.
"Cool. So, what do you think of Canada so far?" Nat said.
"Since this is my first time here, it's a lot like home… and a lot colder than I'm used to, but I'm not complaining." Danny said.
As Nat smiled, a certain someone cleared their throats.
"Well, I guess Nat needs us to save her." A voice Danny found somewhat familiar went in a sardonic tone.
To his shock, he saw the two girls he earlier tried to hit on, the punk girl pouted while the blonde smiled.
"Nat!" The blonde went, taking her hand. "You might have a better chance at helping this boy be less lonely! He tried so hard but so poorly to ask me out, but you might do better!" She went.
Danny's face turned pale.
"Really Susan? He hit on you?" Nat asks, more surprised than upset.
"And it looks like it was on Ellie too." Susan went, referring to the punk girl.
"He did…" Ellie went, glaring coldly at Danny.
Why do I get the feeling someone up there is laughing at me? Danny thought.
"Is this true?" Nat asks.
Danny gulped but nodded.
"Y-Yeah. Sorry, I'm trying to get over my ex and, well, my dad suggested I use this trip as a way to meet new people. I'm really sorry about how I acted around you two." Danny went.
Ellie seemed unmoved, but Susan cried with a smile.
"I forgive you…" She said.
"Huh… it takes guts to admit you made a mistake." Nat said, sounding impressed. "Okay… okay…" She takes her phone out and, after scrolling it, shows it to him. "Here's my email and phone number. While you're here, we may as well chat and get to know each other more."
Danny blinked, hiding his reaction by taking his phone out and taking the photo of her phone with both information on the screen.
"Got it." He said.
"Okay… Danny." She said with an interested smile.
Danny blushed before recalling something.
"Oh uh… I should get something I promised my dad and sister. Nice chatting Nat, talk later." He said, hurting to the place for lemonade.
Nat smiled as Danny left as her friends had varying degrees of reacting.
"Ohh… he's cute for you." Susan gushed.
"I sincerely doubt you'll see him again." Ellie went.
"Maybe, but he is cute. Now come on, we got a mountain of snow to get to." Nat said excitedly.
In 20 minutes
Danny had returned to the rented car and handed the lemonade to his dad and little sister.
"Here we are." Danny went.
"That took a while. Long line?" Jack asks.
"No… I just got a girl's email and number!" Danny went excitedly with his phone in his hand.
"So?" Jazz asks, taking a sip from her water bottle.
"It wasn't handed out of pity!" Danny went.
Jazz immediately did a spit take.
"WHAT?!" She went.
Danielle, sipping her lemonade, stopped when she heard that.
"You met someone just now? After two shot downs?" She asks.
Danny shrugged.
"Third time's the charm, I guess. I just got lucky that her two friends, the same girls who shot me down, weren't enough to change her mind about me."
"That's my boy! I knew my advice would help." Jack said.
"Thanks, Dad." Danny said.
"Aww… good of you to start moving on from the heartbreak." Maddie went happily as Jack started the engine.
As they drove, Danielle felt rather upset to learn Danny was successful at talking to a girl.
"That's… that's not right, is it?" Danielle asks.
"It isn't!" Jazz went, shaking while being frazzled as she looked into her journal. "Dad never gives good advice! Nothing not ghost hunting related! He suggested a class ring, something super outdated!" She went.
Danielle rose an eyebrow before her eyes darted to Danny, who was too busy smiling goofily at his phone.
She grew worried, both for her sister's current state of mind, and for her brother meeting someone.
Her sudden fear of not getting to hang out with him anymore grew.
Special thanks to Flower princess11.
We have three new characters, based on Nikki, Caitlin and Jen from 6teen. Since Jen is a love interest in TMDDF, I based Nat on her.
And we also have established some subplots here.
Themetavoorhes1996: At least 8 different monsters. The Goblins, counting the Varginha Devil, count as 1.
Invader Johnny: Looks like she's looking for him.
LockAndKey989: She's not appearing here.
SoundVenom: He's not the writer, he's the guy who came up with the series. I didn't like that design either... or any of his 10 Years Later designs.
Leonardo: Not sure what kind of stories he'd write. Also, not sure but considering how things are, she might be right.
Luiz4200: They would indeed be an interesting couple.
danifan3000: We will see how it goes.
Khy Dragon: He might need more fire than that.
