Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom or 6teen
Danny returned home, making it in time before curfew. He thanked his luck no ghosts decided to cause trouble for him or anyone else on the way home. However, that did not mean things were any easier. After the incident with Ember, the ghost boy had more to worry about because it seemed every ghost in the Ghost Zone would now involve Amélie, one way or another.
It wasn't as simple as he thought, especially with how tomorrow would unfold. Ghost had attacked, but the real trouble started in the second half of the school day.
Youngblood laughed as he enjoyed pranking Casper High at the students' expense. He would mix everyone's books and locker decor, turn invisible to spray people at the water fountain, and had once flushed a small explosive down the toilet.
That last prank ended with an explosion that turned all the toilets into fountains. This had caused many students to leave school early for personal reasons.
The childish ghost was cackling with sinister glee as he watched his tricks unfold. Dressed like a jester, the boy went to work, propping buckets of dirty mop water above every door.
Despite the school's safety procedure with ghosts, none of the faculty could see Youngblood due to a unique ability that made him visible only to children. Anytime a student alerted the teachers, they couldn't see anything, leaving the student body at the mercy of the ghostly pranks.
"This is great! All I have to do is prank everyone outside of the teacher's lounge, and I can prank forever!" Youngblood declared.
"Unless the ghost boy stops you," his assistant said, a skeleton ghost in the form of a coyote. But his words fell on deaf ears as his master spotted Amélie walking down the hall with her drooling followers.
"Hey, that's gotta be the girl everyone's talking about." Youngblood rubbed his hand with a sinister smile. "Haha! Ha! I got the perfect thing for her."
The young ghost followed invisibly as the French girl went to class. He watched as Danny made eye contact with her, but the two said nothing and promptly got ready for English.
Lancer walked in, smiling as he held a book to her chest.
"Alright, class. I know we've been reviewing Shakespeare for a while." The class groaned in collective, already tired of the ancient playwright. "But I think you'll find this next play of his fascinating. I hope you are all ready to learn about—"
The overweight teacher didn't get to finish as the splattering sound erupted from the classroom. Everyone gasped as they turned to see Amélie covered in green goop, sticking her to the chair. The girl had just opened her desk when the slime sprayed out, coating her.
"No! Her hot bod!" Dash yelled out for the boys, most of them.
"Someone get baking powder and vinegar!" another student yelled.
As the class screamed in panic, Youngblood left the building, unable to hold in his laughter. He and his bony assistant were having the time of their afterlife.
"The Shapes of Midnight! Who is responsible for this!?" Lancer shouted.
"It was probably Fenton," Dash said, pointing at the boy. He walked up and held the ghost boy by the collar. It was not true, but when in doubt, the jock went to his habits for answers.
"Enough!" Amélie cried out. She commanded the jock to let go, gesturing to the ground. "There is no proof he did it."
"But goo came from your desk! That has the words, Fenton, written all over it! It has to!"
"That doesn't mean it was me!" Danny cried from his position. "People have been getting pranked all day!"
"Yeah, but everyone was losers and geeks! This time Amelia got pranked!" Dash leaned into the ghost boy's face with a seething voice. "And someone has to pay."
"That's not fair! Why do I have to be blamed for something I didn't do!?" Danny pried himself out of the bully's grip, but that didn't stop the ranting from the class.
No one cared to believe Danny as Amélie remained quiet, trying to free herself from the slimy prison. Some students banded together and tried to pull the French girl free, only to find their hands coated in the substance as they slipped out. Lancer intervened but could only calm the classroom down after the ghost boy was given detention, much against the French girl's demand for reason and logic.
The school day ended as the ghost boy again found himself the only one in the Detention room. Danny muttered to herself a colorful choice of words for the bratty ghost. He would do more than kick him back into the Ghost Zone the next time they met. Child or not, the ghost boy did not need any more problems in his life. Everything else was delivering that on a daily basis.
But for now, he grumbled about Youngblood as Lancer overlooked detention. The empty room was filled with the sound of pages turning as usual, with the only student minding his own business as his teacher passed the time reading.
Unbeknownst to Danny, Lancer occasionally looked up, sighing in sympathy as his eyes wandered to the window. It was a beautiful day, yet he was overlooking Fenton for something he didn't cause. He knew it but had to due to Dash riling up the class.
It wasn't that the ghost boy did anything wrong, but rather was punished by some twisted sense of order the students wanted to be maintained. It was a sickening cycle, one the overweight teacher was tired of. This wheel of injustice affected not only the students but teachers as well. There had been times when the Vice Principal would try to enrich the students' lives with ideas from various literature but was shut down. And yet, the sports teams would always get new uniforms and equipment.
As Principal Ishiyama once said during a meeting, "You've seen the football stadium on a Friday night, haven't you, Mr. Lancer? The entire town is there. This is a football town, let me remind you, and, yes, the team will get new jerseys and new knee pads... and new jock straps and anything else they want in the name of education... because that is what the school board wants. Because that is what the parents in this town want. I'm sorry. My frustrated hands are tied."
The roars of the football team clouded his ears, making his blood pressure rise for a moment.
"You know what," Lancer said, putting down his book. "I think you've done enough already. You may go now, Mr. Fenton."
Danny blinked at his teacher, completely dumbfounded at the words. He looked at the clock to see he still had half an hour.
"What's the catch?" Danny's voice was the definition of skepticism.
"The catch is no one will notice you leave. Now, do you want to study or enjoy the day?"
Lancer's smile held confident happiness as the ghost boy left. It was a lucky break for Danny, but only for a moment as a blue wisp appeared in a gasp.
"Oh great, another ghost." Danny looked around as he went to the janitor closet and transformed.
As they say, out of the frying pan and into the oven.
Amélie had freed herself from the goo. A hot shower washed away the filth, even if it did take an hour of constant scrubbing to clean her long hair. Part of her, while refreshed, felt guilt eating at her for what Danny had to pay. She knew he didn't do it, but apparently, Dash wouldn't let it go, and then Paulina joined in. Even defending the ghost boy did not help.
"Why did Paulina help blame Danny?" Amélie wondered to herself. Maybe she'd talk to the girl later, but that would be for another time.
Looking around the exit of the girl's locker room, the halls were empty as the French girl went to get her books. School was now over, but that didn't mean the flock of boys would always leave her alone. And she knew there was a chance someone was loitering around the doors.
Arriving at her locker, Amélie was pleasantly surprised to see Star and Paulina waiting for her there. She waved to The girls. The latter of which waved back enthusiastically as the former gave a nonchalant face.
"What a week. There was that combat de fantômes, I was baver...or slimed, and it's only Tuesday," Amélie commented as she opened her locker. She shrugged, rubbing her shoulders after they dropped.
"Did you see the ghost boy?" Paulina asked. She didn't notice Star rolling her eyes at the question.
"Danny...Fantôme?" Amélie didn't notice the glare from Paulina. "Oui. He was there, fighting that Ember girl I met with ver the weekend. I didn't know she was a ghost."
"Ember? You mean McLain?" Star asked.
"Oui. I sasw her yesterday and—Pardon, you know she's a ghost?" Amélie asked with a pointed finger.
"We've seen her around to know it, but that won't stop people from welcoming her. If a ghost has fans, they'll have some haunting grounds around here." Star's nonchalant voice placated how the supernatural had been normalized here. This was a worrying yet intriguing detail about the town that partially enticed Amélie , who wondered what was going on around town.
"I see. Then I'll have to be more careful if a ghost should approach like that."
"Fat chance. Ghosts tend to go after the prettiest girls," Paulina commented as she leaned off the locker wall. Her face held a smile as she spoke, thinking about the time Danny Phantom rescued her.
"But wouldn't that mean—" Star silenced herself at Paulina's glaring eyes. That was the end of the discussion, making Amélie question the girl's personality slightly.
"By the way, why are you...uh, hanging out by my locker?" The French girl asked.
Star smiled as she started to explain, only for Paulina to butt in. The school queen walked past the blonde girl, cutting through with her shoulder.
"There's an opening coming for the Cheer Squad. And we'd wanted to give you the spot," Paulina said with a wicked grin.
"Yeah, it'll be totally fun. We're working on a new routine and thought you'd like to join." Star walked, surprising Paulina, but earned a fierce gaze she could feeing stabbing her back. "You said you love to dance, right?"
"True, but I still have my part time job," Amélie said.
"Isn't that place gonna close down soon from all the ice cream shortage? Yesterday, I couldn't get any Mint Chocolate Chip yesterday," Star said.
"Phantom Flavor will not close down, but there may be a ...I think the word is suspension, for the place. We are running out of ice cream."
Amélie wasn't lying when she said that. She could recall how it was getting harder to find any ice cream left in storage at work. With how the boys had been crowding the store, it was no wonder they asked for so much since the owner enforced a customers-only policy.
If it weren't for the fact the usual boys were active jocks, there might have been a sudden increase in weight gain. However, this may have been how they always wanted two perfect round scoops, like Amélie didn't know why they said that.
"If that happens, I'll take you up on that offer.
"Whatever. I still think you should be a cheerleader. Popular girls are always cheerleaders," Paulina said, inspecting her nails. Her facade was nothing on the inside, jumping for joy as she could continue her plan to make the boys bored of the foreign exchange student.
"Same here." The girls turned to see Dale, a jock, leaning against the lockers. His white teeth shined against his fake skin as his green eyes scanned Amélie and her chest multiple times, not that he was subtle. With a step toward the French girl, the boy voiced his obvious intentions.
"In fact, if you become a cheerleader, you'll need a jock to hold your arms. And your hands. And your perky—"
Paulina cut the boy off, standing between him. She grew tired of the popular boys eyeing Amélie, wishing they grew tired of her and go back to fawning of her again. She started wearing low-cut shirts, which was working. But it wasn't enough that the nerds and other losers of the social order were starting to pay attention. Although the Latina girl never cared about their comments. There was only one she wanted.
"You know, I heard Tetslaff yelling about something. I don't think she'd appreciate you missing anything." That got the boy to sweat profusely. The hormonal attraction to boobs or not, no jock would go against Coach Tetslaff.
Dale looked around for Tetslaff. Seeing she wasn't around calmed his nerves. He collected himself, trying to act like he didn't have a mild panic attack, as he walked around Paulina.
"So, Amelee—"
"I believe Paulina gave you my answer. No," Amélie said.
"No? Oh I get it. That's French for something, isn't it girl?"
"It means no, and do not call me girl."
Amélie walked away, not letting Dale have another word. Paulina stopped the boy with a glare, it was mostly for herself, but no one cared to point it out. The French walked towards the door, exiting the school in silence.
Paulina and Star left for cheerleader practice, giving the exchange student some reprieve in solitude. It was another beautiful day with the sun out, making the girl want to walk home instead of taking the school bus.
"I guess with that ice cream shortage, she'll have to join the cheer squad eventually," Paulina commented over her shoulder.
"Wait, did you plan that?" Star's voice couldn't hide the sheer surprise. To think that the popular girl would think ahead like this was a miracle.
"I-I-erm...yes. Yes I did." Paulina's rapid nods couldn't back up her lie, instantly seen through by the blonde girl.
With a roll of her eyes, the girl went to the locker room to change and practice.
Amélie watched the sky for a moment, smiling as she walked home slowly. While she loved to socialize, moments like this were lovely. Stopping by a tree on campus, she sat down to relax with some reading, unaware that she had company.
"Do you always read under a tree like a woman in fairytales?" Came a snarky voice.
Amélie didn't look up from her book, recognizing the owner.
"Bonjour, Sam, I take it you are here for other reasons too?" The French girl said.
"Tucker and I decided to wait for Danny, but then he decided to grab a couple drinks from the vending machine. I wonder what's taking him so long." Sam glanced at the school, tapping her foot impatiently. She looked over her company's shoulder with nothing better to do but wait.
"Whatcha reading?"
"A remake of The Beauty and the Beast. Think of the same story but with a dark twist and some, as you would call, steamy moments."
Sam blinked, staring between the book, Amélie, and the French girl's partially opened blouse. That was noted as a contradiction, or her brain was too fried to think properly. The goth's mental gears turned furiously, overheating her train of thought, which crashed into several pieces.
"You like fairytales?" Sam spat out after a headache overthinking things.
"Oui. Most fairytales were written by French writer Charles Perrault. I grew up with my mother reading them to me." Amélie closed her book, staring into the sky.
She missed her parents. While her experience in Amity Park was fun and not over, part of her thought about calling them. Looking at her phone, the girl realized she had time to call them.
"But you also like remakes of the book that are darker and have...steamier moments?" Sam pointed at the French girl. "Doesn't that clash with your shirt or something?"
Amélie held her arms apart, staring down into her chest. Her partially-opened blouse always showed off a more than generous amount of cleavage that the boys ogled constantly. The girl gave a huff, annoyed at the goth's comment.
"If you ask why I always have my shirts open, it is because in the end, I'm not ashamed of my body. And while the boys here do not stop looking and drooling, it is different in France."
If Amélie did not respond with an honest stare into Sam's eyes, her words might have fallen on deaf ears. But the goth girl was not one to distrust the French girl.
But that also fertilized Sam's curiosity exponentially. Sitting down, the goth girl delivered her questions, hoping for at least a minimal amount of culture clash.
"So back at home, the boys don't follow you with drooling faces?" Sam asked.
"Not really, though I do hear...what is the American word for siffler?—" Amélie picked up her phone and typed into her browser, searching through the results. "—catcalling, yes. That is what I hear sometimes."
"Wow, why am I not surprised."
"But like I said before, not all boys do that. Some are nice. Other than that, I don't see a problem with how I choose to dress. It is my choice." Amélie huffed the last statement, annoyed by Sam's stare.
"But the guys—"
"Can stare all they want, but that's all they will get. I don't have to change just because a few of them are taking advantage of the sight. If they try anything, I'll report them to the police."
Sam groaned, too stubborn in her ideals. While she had mentally admitted there was clarity in the French girl's choice, it gave a cringing feeling. It was annoying and frustrating, like looking at the people eating burgers while she was outside with a protest.
"Do the words all the guys would want to see more, mean anything to you?" Sam snarked.
Amélie nodded, going back to her book. She was silent as she read a few pages, trying to ignore the goth, but found the intense gaze annoying.
"I believe girls would do the same for a guy they like too." The French girl sighed as icy blue eyes came to mind. She put down her book, shaking her head in exhaustion. "Thought you may have a point. It didn't stop Danny from staring."
Sam paused at the last sentence as the French girl leaned back, looking hurt. The sudden change in opinions was partially baffling, taking away any enjoyment of being right.
"What do you mean? And why does that bother you?" Sam's face became curious. Her heart felt a slight sting as she tried to get answers with some fear crawling at her feet.
Amélie gave a huff but shrugged, seeing no problem talking to the goth as long as boundaries were respected.
"The other day, I caught Danny following me, staring at my chest—"the French girl held a hand up to silence Sam. "—I know the boys do that already, but I had started to see Danny as a copain, a friend." Her hand grazed the exposed cleavage. "And seeing him do that—"
Sam placed a hand on Amélie's shoulder. The girl had a look of sympathy.
"You know, I've known Danny all my life. He's not a bad guy, granted he's just as much as a hormone-riddled teen as the next, but he wouldn't stoop the same level as jocks. You have to know that."
Sam's words reached Amélie, who recalled her encounters with Fenton. Yes, there were times Danny might have peeked at her chest, but he never cat called or pestered her for a date. There was no looming or leering with the boy's presence eliciting any feeling of discomfort or distrust.
The goth girl had a point. Even if she was the boy's best friend, she had made it clear how she voices her opinion, especially with the partial hostility Amélie saw in the beginning.
"Then the staring at my chest?—"
"Is probably nothing to worry about. Sure, there's hormones, but Danny's never gonna be like those idiots following you. Trust me," Sam said with a knowing smile.
"Very well, then I'll talk to him, next chance I get," Amélie said, closing her book. She packed her things and got up as Sam did the same.
"Just make sure the jocks don't see you doing this. They already give Danny too much trouble," Sam added.
"Oui. They are idiots that reinforce what some of my relatives say back home."
Another grin came from the goth girl. Questions came with that statement too, but she didn't have the energy to ask them. But she gave a smile as she turned to the French girl.
"Thanks," Sam said.
"Beg pardon?" Amélie blinked with a neutral face.
"For, you know, talking and stuff. I know we're not friends, but it's actually been nice seeing you as more that the slab of meat the dogs drool over."
"Merci. And if it makes you feel better, stalking isn't as much of a problem since Ladybug and Chat Noir came to fight against the akumas Le Papillon send out."
Amélie left, waving goodbye as Dam waited for Danny. She returned to the tree and looked at her phone, wondering about detention. She could go home, but the girl wouldn't leave her best friend behind.
Humming against the wind, Tucker finally returned with the drinks, apparently having trouble finding a stocked vending machine nearby. He laid the can for Sam and three for him.
As Sam took a big sip, she went wide eye and spat out the contents in her mouth.
"Wait! Paris has superheroes!?" Sam cried out.
Tucker just sat there, drinking the soda in his can and not the one mixed with saliva on his body. He would ask about this later, wanting a cold beverage first.
Another update. This week had been very lax for me, so I didn't get much written, but I'm gonna see about making progress like last week. Also, due to some trivia about French culture, I'm acknowledging the existence of Ladybug and Chat Noir in this fic, but they will not appear. This fic takes place in Amity Park, end of the point.
Anyway, next time we have another ghost attack as Amélie goes to forgive Danny. Stay tuned.
Special Thanks! to Flower Princess11 for all her help!
Reviews:
Jebest4781: Thanks!
qazse: Dash's delusions will be discussed in more detail in a later chapter. Though Amélie redeeming Ember sounds interesting and there will be more outfits.
Mizugami18: No.
Invader Johnny: Just wait and see.
RonaldM40196867: Probably. Yes, but Amélie is also a bit naïve about Amity Park and ghosts still. She hasn't been part of the main action till now. Not really, Dash is just thinking with the wrong head, so to speak. Then again, he never used his brain much. Wait till later chapters, I got some things planned.
Luiz4200: Thanks! I made the cover myself.
krazychef16: Ironically, you picked the second to last moment to say that, but how's this?