Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, Sailor Moon or any of the characters. Danny Phantom is the sole property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International. Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi and Kodansha.
A Phantom's Love and Courage
Chapter 17: The Countdown Begins: Preparing for the Dangers ahead!
Danny, the girls and Mamoru soon arrived to a shop called Naoko's.
"Welcome to Naoko's, this place has the best yakisoba in all of Juuban!..."Usagi said in excitement, as she desired to eat here with all her friends and her new friend too.
"Just...try not to expect something too fancy, Usako..."Mamoru said, worried for his wallet.
He knew that he'll probably be footing the bill for his girlfriend as always.
"So..I'm guessing you've all been here before..."Danny said as he looked around.
"Few times..."Makoto said.
"Is this is some kind of ramen shop?..."Danny asked, as the food smelled good.
"This restaurant doesn't just serve ramen, it's famous for creating some of the tastiest yakisoba in Juuban, as well as udon and a few other tasty dishes..."The tall girl explained.
"Really?..."Danny asked, sounding excited.
However, Minako then stood between them and added her own opinion about this restaurant.
"Yup, trust us when we say that this place will rock your taste buds. Plus, it's a great place for dating too..."Minako said, butting in the conversation and not-so subtly dropping a hint.
Danny blinked, feeling his face get flushed and bashful as his cheeks turn a little red, while Makoto frowned. Usagi, none the wiser to their drama, had her mind on her appetite at the moment.
Still, she agreed with her.
"Come on. Let's go in before a long line starts to form up!..."She said, eager to get some food.
Ami and Rei sighed at her cluelessness, since Usagi usually thinks with her stomach instead of her head whenever she's hungry. They decided to say nothing, figuring she'll get it at some point.
Soon, the teenagers were all seated .Danny sat between Makoto and Minako, while Usagi sat next to Mamou, and Ami and Rei sat next to each other.
They all ordered yakisoba, and a few other dishes, though Danny did asks for their recommendations before he ordered.
Soon enough, the food arrived and smelled delicious.
"Wow..."Danny said, while Usagi was drooling over the meal.
"It looks so yummy!~..."Usagi said, drooling right now.
"It sure does..."Makoto said, grinning.
The teenagers all said "Itadakimasu", which they explained to Danny that it is a polite phrase meaning "I receive this food".
"Yeah...ita-da-kee-masu..."Danny followed their lead, albeit the pronunciation was a little off.
"Eh, close enough..."Makoto said, giggling.
The ghost boy chuckled sheepishly. Soon, they all began to eat and the tall girl of the group soon turned to their new friend from overseas.
"So, how's your first bite of yakisoba, Danny-kun?..."Makoto asked, as she watched her male friend eat it.
"Mmmm...it's good. It's noodles are more thicker and chewier than regular ramen noodles..."The American boy said as he took another bite.
"Glad to hear that you like it. Some noodles taste best out of the broth..."Makoto said, taking a bite of her own.
That's when Minako tried to start her own conversation with Danny.
"You know Danny-kun...if you're curious about exploring any more of Juuban's culinary delights, I wouldn't mind escorting you to some of the best places around here. Kind of like your personal tour guide..."Minako said to the American boy, winking at him once again.
"Uh...yeah...that sounds nice. I'll let you know if I have the time. Thanks..."Danny said, flattered that she would personally offer to show him around town but he doubted that he had time to take her up on her offer.
Makoto didn't know why she was frowning, but she also tried to start up a new conversation with Danny.
"Come on, Kino. Think of a new conversation starter..."The tall girl thought.
Makoto then noticed chicken slices on yakisoba, and she decided to speak up.
"Hey, Danny-kun...have you tried dipping the yakisoba chicken in soy sauce?..."The tall girl asked.
"Huh? Oh, not yet..."Danny said.
"You should try it. The meat is very tender and adds to its already delicious flavor..."She suggested, as she did just that and took a bite of her own food.
Danny tried it, taking a bite and smiled in pleasure.
"Wow! This so beats the mall food back home..."Danny said happily, taking another bite.
Makoto smiled at that.
"Glad to see that you like it. It warms my heart to see people enjoying their meals, even if I didn't cook them myself..."She said.
This got the ghost boy's attention and stare at Makoto for a moment as he was lost in thought for a moment.
"Actually, not that you mention it. You're cooking is still the best meal I've ever had eaten, even after trying this..."Danny said, smiling at her.
Makoto heard this and blushed.
"Oh...you're being too kind. After all, I'm far from a professional..."She said sheepishly.
"I'm serious, that lunch you made was great..."Danny said.
"He's not wrong, you're cooking is always a big hit Mako-chan. Especially your rice balls that always taste so yummy..."Usagi said as she stuffed her face with more food.
"Well, glad to see I have another fan of my work..."Makoto said, feeling sheepish.
"Without question..."Danny said, still praising her.
Minako heard this and felt a spike of jealousy.
"I know Makoto is a great cook...but there's more to being an ideal girlfriend then that..."She thought, feeling competitive.
Before she realized it, the blonde girl then grabbed some udon noodles and turned to their American friend.
"Danny-san...you really should try this dish too, it's called udon noodles. It's really yummy too..."She said.
"It is?..."Danny asked.
"Yep, it is..."Usagi said as she stuffed her face and slurped up her own udon noodles.
"Usagi-chan. At least chew your food when you eat in public..."Ami scolded as the blonde girl kept eating voraciously.
"Sorry about that, Usagi tends to think with just her stomach...and nothing else..."Rei said in annoyance, getting a glare from the blonde girl.
"Hey, her appetite is nothing compared to my dad's. One time, he nearly emptied our whole fridge while sleep eating, only to realize later that he also ate a beanbag chair too. It didn't end so good for his stomach though..."Danny said, making the others laugh.
"Really?..."Makoto asked, chuckling.
"Yeah, Mom was pretty mad and took the money out of his pocket..."Danny said in amusement, before trying the udon noodle that Minako offered.
He took a bite and hummed in satisfaction.
"Wow! You're right. It is good..."He said, before taking another bite.
"I knew that you'd like it. Udon noodles pairs pretty well with yakisoba, even more so than people usually thought..."Minako said with a giggle, as she stares at him with a starry-eyed look on her face.
Makoto wondered what that look was about as she continued to eat her food and chat with Danny.
"She is right, this is a good combo and the owners make sure that the atmosphere stays nice too..."The tall girl said.
"I've noticed..."Danny said, as he felt at ease here.
"Yes, it's comfy..."Makoto said.
"Sure is..."Danny said, smiling at her.
"You could get used to it..."Makoto said, smiling at Danny.
"I know I am..."Minako said, butting in.
"Uh...cool..."Danny said, feeling sheepish right now.
Both girls kept trying to chat with him, while secretly sending annoyed looks at each other. Danny, none he wiser, glanced around and tried to find some more sauce.
"Any more sauce?..."He asked, only see both Minako and Makoto piped up and handed him some.
"You can use mine!..."They both said, only to realize that they said the same thing at the same time.
"Uh...thanks...but I just need a little bit..."He said as he took some from Makoto, feeling awkward right now.
The awkwardness was present for everyone right now. No one had finished their respective meal yet, but Minako and Makoto were already having a competitive stare down with each other.
"Jeez, what's with her right now?..."Makoto thought, frowning.
"Why can't she read the room and back off? I'm busy trying to charm up a potential boyfriend here..."Minako thought, feeling strangely competitive right now.
Usagi, Mamoru, Rei, and Ami all saw this and sweat dropped.
"And it's started..."Usagi said, rolling her eyes.
"Am I missing something here?..."Mamoru asked, clueless.
"It's been a long couple of days. And apparently those two just can't help but cause drama again..."Rei said, as she started massaging her temple.
"Although I get the feeling that this may not be the last we experience this kind of dispute from these two..."Ami said, and the other girls kept trying to chat with Danny.
"Actually Danny-kun, I could probably cook up some of these dishes myself, if you'd like to try a home-cooked style of these Japanese meals..."Makoto said.
"That would be amazing, but only if it's not too inconvenient for you..."Danny said, blushing at her.
"And while Makoto learns how to cook those dishes, maybe you and I can do some sightseeing around Juuban. Maybe even show you some of the most beautiful sights around. What do you say, Danny-kun?..."Minako interjected, acting playful.
"Uh...sure. maybe on a day where we both have free time to spend..."Danny said, sounding sheepish right now.
"Goody, I may hold you up to that, Danny-san..."Minako said playfully look on his face, while Makoto frowned.
"Unbelievable..."She muttered under her breath, before she tried to get Danny's attention back to her during the conversation.
Luna and Artemis saw all of this unfold outside, and both cats sighed.
"Teenagers..."Artemis said.
"They really have to take on life's most difficult tasks at their own pace, don't they?..."Luna said, shaking her head.
The two magical felines stayed back and watch the humans with a hint of judgment, like all cats do. All the while, the teenagers tried to enjoy the rest of their meal...and Minako and Makoto tried to get the attention of their new American friend on themselves.
And said American boy kept feeling wondering what the heck is going on here!
Later
After they finished their meals, Danny and his new friends soon left the shop and were now on the side walk.
"Man, now I know why you all were stoked about this place. The food they made tasted better than I expected..."Danny said.
"I'm glad that you've taken such a great liking to the in Japan...at least with our food..."Makoto said, smiling at it.
"Yeah, when comes to cooking, Japan's no slouch in the slightest..."Minako said, as she wrapped her arm around him.
Danny blushed deeply and gulped at her contact.
"Uh...y-yeah...I'm still surprised by how much I enjoyed it..."He stammered, sweating a bit.
"Stick around and you might just find a couple more surprises that you might really like..."Minako giggled, winking at him.
Makoto saw this and rolled her eyes while Danny was sweating right now.
"Please don't get weak kneed and have my pants fall down! Please don't get weak kneed and have my pants fall down!..."Danny mentally repeated, almost like some mantra as the blonde kept flirting with him.
"Well, this has been an excellent dinner...As the saying goes "dinner is a dish best never served cold unless you want revenge"..."She said.
"Uh...I think you mean "revenge is a dish best served cold"..."Danny said, feeling awkward.
"Oh, I guess you can say it like that too..."She said, smiling cheerfully.
"That's the only way you can say it..."Makoto said, as she and the others shook their heads at this.
Minako gave an awkward laugh.
Usagi, Mamoru, Rei, Ami and the cats all saw this and sweat dropped.
"Classic Minako. She really can't help but open her mouth..."They all thought as the two girls continued to watch blonde haired friend with a red ribbon work her charm on the American boy.
"Well, you're pretty smart guy to know that..."Minako said with a charming giggle.
Which admittedly was working rather efficiently on the ghost boy.
"I guess..."He said, gulping a bit and feeling his face get warm.
"I know it..."Makoto said, getting a blush from Danny.
"Uh...thanks..."He said.
He then checked the time and realized that he didn't have a lot of time left on the charm that Clockwork get him.
"Uh...I gotta go right now. I promised my parents that I wouldn't stay out so late..."Danny lied.
"Oh...we get it. You want us to walk you there..." Makoto offered.
"Thanks but I can make it from here. Not sure how they'd react to new faces..."Danny said.
"Thanks again for taking me to that yakisoba place, it was really great..."Danny told her before noticing Minako again.
"And thanks for showing me the crepe place..."He said.
"Any time, Danny-san..."Makoto said.
"Yeah, anytime. Next time, I can let you take me someplace else..."Minako said quickly.
"Uh...sure...we'll see..."Danny said, blushing at her presence.
"Definitely..."Makoto said, making Danny feel funny inside.
"Uh, yeah...Anyway, thanks again everyone. See you around..."Danny said, as he left, waving at them.
"Bye Danny-san..."Minako said, waving enthusiastically while the others said their good byes.
Once he was gone, Makoto glared at Minako.
"What was that all about?..."She asked.
"What?..."Minako asked innocently.
"You know what. You were all over Danny-kun and barely let him have a moment to himself. You even butted in a lot of our conversations. Seriously, what's your deal? I thought you said that you were into Danny Phantom..."Makoto said, looking ticked.
Minako frowned.
"Neither him or this Danny have asked me out yet. We're all still single and I don't see anything wrong with some innocent flirting..."She said.
"Her definition of innocent is pretty loose..."Artemis muttered, as both girls kept arguing.
"You were too close and I think you made him uncomfortable and nervous. It looked like he was gonna jump out of his skin..."Makoto said.
"It's normal for a boy to get shy when they are around a girl as beautiful as me. Besides, if Danny-san was uncomfortable, he would have said something..."Minako said, arms crossed.
"Maybe he couldn't because you wouldn't let him!..."Makoto argued.
"What? Do you like him or something?..."Minako asked, making Makoto blush deeply at that accusation.
"W-What? I mean...we've only recently met..."Makoto said.
"That's never stopped her from falling hard for a guy before..."Usagi said.
Rei, Ami and Luna were going to scold her, only to processed what she said and nodded.
"She's not wrong..."Rei admitted asthe other two nodded.
Makoto was blushing and became defensive.
"I'm just saying that you could ease up on the flirting if you don't plan on being serious with him. He might be going back to America soon, but he is still my friend and I don't like the idea of you trying to lead him on..."She said, arms crossed.
"Who said that I was leading him on? I happen to think that Danny-san likes me and just can't help but get shy around me. I can't help but be so beautiful that it makes cute foreign guys so tongue tied..."Minako said in her usual ways.
The others did an anime face fault at that, all of them not surprised by her statement.
"And she goes back to speaking highly of herself again..."Artemis muttered.
"Makoto, if you like Danny too then just admit it. But I will say this...if he asks me out before Phantom does, I may end up taking him up for his offer...though, if you want Danny-san, you may as well admit it now..."She said.
Makoto blushed and looked away, avoiding eye contact. She didn't want to admit that, so she found a way around giving a direct answer.
"Even if I did like him that way...he's still going to America in a few days...and I learned a long time ago that guys don't like girls that are much taller than them..."Makoto said in an insecure way.
The way she said that made Minako drop her jealousy and competitiveness and soon sported her concerned friend look.
"Mako-chan..."She began but Usagi interjected.
"Mako, not all boys are stupid and shallow like that. You're a very cute girl and any guy would be lucky to have you..."Usagi said in an encouraging way.
"She's right. You're a wonderful girl and you should have more confidence in yourself..."Ami said, being sincere.
Mamoru nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, they are right. You're a great girl..."He said.
"Yes, you are and you shouldn't let some stupid guy make you think otherwise..."Rei added.
Despite the previous competitiveness, Minako nodded too.
"Yeah, you need to give yourself more credit. Danny's proof there are great guys out there. You'll find one soon enough..."She said.
"Thank you everyone..."Makoto said, appreciating their kind words.
Luna and Artemis heard all of this and were relieved to see that they were all getting along again.
"It's good to see that drama or not, they are still friends when it counts..."Luna said.
"Yeah. At least..."Artemis said, nodding.
"It's never too late. After all, there are plenty of guys in the sea out fishing..."Minako said, getting sweat drops from the others again.
"It's...there's plenty of fish in the sea..."Makoto corrected.
"Uh...oh, I guess you can say that too..."Minako said as everyone let out groans.
"And other times, they just become aggravating..."Luna nodded.
Artemis nodded, as the teenagers all decided to head home for the time being as it was getting late now.
However, it was clear that the drama between Minako, Makoto and their new friend from America wasn't over yet by a long shot.
Meanwhile
Danny soon left to head back to his motel room, still wondering what was going on.
"Makoto and Minako...wow...two beautiful Japanese girls that don't treat me like a weird outcast. All that's left if Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus to ask Danny Phantom out for a date and I've probably lived one of every single guys best fantasies..."Danny thought, unaware of the irony in his statement.
Though deep down, Danny had his doubts that it would actually happen. After all, he's already got to hang out with Makoto, Minako and all their friends. He probably figured it wasn't wise to be greedy right now.
Danny kept walking and kept pondering over recent events. He arrived to the motel room, removed the translation necklace and took a deep breath as he wondered what to do next.
However, things soon became crazy again. The ghost boy soon heard the sound of a crash nearby and the sound of people screaming coming from outside.
"Oh man, that doesn't sound good!..."He thought, as he changed into his ghost form, phased out of the motel room and flew outside.
After a few moments of flying, he saw two cars that were in a crash and instantly new that the source of the screaming came from both crashed cars.
"Oh my gosh!..."Danny said, as he flew closer.
He saw that both drivers were trapped inside their respective vehicles.
One of them was unconscious, while the other was still awake but trapped by heavily dented car door. Danny also noticed that gas was leaking out of the vehicles.
"Help! Get us out! Please!..."The driver begged in Japanese, as he tried to hit against the glass of the window.
"Hold on, I got you!..."Danny said, as he used his powers to phase inside and pull the driver out.
He then phased into the other vehicle and pulled the other unconscious driver and pulled them away from the vehicles.
He flew into the air, carrying both of them. Just in time as one of the cars ended up exploding and caused to other to explode along with it, but Danny became intangible and created a ecto-ghost shield for extra precaution, saving both drivers.
Danny soon flew to a safe distance, and placed both drivers on the ground.
"Man, that was close..."Danny said, relieved that he wasn't a minute late.
He then turned to the two drivers.
"You okay?..."Danny asked.
"You saved both our lives. Thank you so much..."The driver said, speaking in Japanese.
Danny realized that he left the necklace back in the motel room and groaned.
"Not a good time..."He said, as he turned to the unconscious driver.
He checked his pulse and was relieved.
"He's still alive, just banged up..."He said, and soon saw a crowd forming.
"ANYONE HERE A DOCTOR? Or speaks English?!..."Danny called out, hating that there is a language barrier again.
"I speak English..."A woman in a pant suit said as she ran to them.
"Thank goodness, quick call an ambulance. These two guys need medical attention!..."Danny said, as he pointed to the car crash victims.
The lady nodded and soon pulled out her phone and called for an ambulance.
Soon enough, the ambulance arrived and took the two drivers away. Danny let out a sigh of relief.
"At least the worst-case scenario didn't happen..."He said, as soon the media arrived to ask him questions.
Or he assumed they were questions, since Danny couldn't understand a word they were saying.
"Uh...Sayōnara!..."Danny said quickly as he flew away, becoming invisible to avoid them.
He then flew back to his motel room and hoped that none of the reporters followed him.
"Note to self...ALWAYS keep that necklace with me while I'm here..."He muttered, just relieved that those two drivers were saved.
If he had been a minute late...no, he didn't even want to think about that.
He was just happy that he got there on time.
A little later
The ghost boy soon laid on his bed, tired and sleepy, as he tried to relax while mentally preparing for tomorrow.
"What a night..."He said, wanting to get some rest.
Danny soon heard his cell phone ringing and noticed the number on it.
It's Sam.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to sit up
"Sam..."Danny said as he answered.
"Hey Sam..." He said with a smile, greeting his friend back in America.
"Hey Danny...glad I was able to reach you..."Sam said. "Tucker is here with me...We're alone at my place, so I'm putting my speaker phone on. We best hurry before my folks find out I'm using up minutes for this call..."The goth explained.
"Understood..."Danny said.
"Hey Danny..."Tucker's voice was heard.
"Hey, how's it going? How's everything back home?..."Danny asked.
"We're fine, our hometown is fine too by the way..."Sam said.
"So, how's Japan treating you? And how are those fine Sailor Guardian's treating ya too?..."Tucker asked.
Danny was about to answer when he soon heard the sound of a smack and a yelp.
"FOCUS!..."Sam yelled on the other end.
"I had to ask!..."Tucker went.
"So far so good. "I'm doing alright and so are my new allies..."Danny said as he began to recount the recent events of his adventure.
He also mentioned his most recent encounter with the yokai fight that he and the Sailor Guardians had to deal with.
"Seriously? You fought Hachishaku-sama?!..."Sam exclaimed, horrified.
"So, you heard about her?..."Danny asked.
"Hello? Goth? Weird and creepy stuff is standard issue..."Sam said, like it was obvious. "Though I always thought she was just an urban legend..."She admitted.
"Well, she was real... a real piece of nasty work with nasty attitude that's almost as bad as her diet. Thanks to me and the girls, she won't be hurting anyone anymore..."Danny said, glad that she's no longer a threat.
"Did you capture it or did they do the job?..." Sam asked.
"Let's just say that...I let them handle her their way. And trust me when I say that it was for the best..."He answered, trying hard not to recall how they got rid of that ghost.
"And then what?..." Tucker asked, wanting to hear more.
"Well, once I was done...thankfully I managed to end today on a high note by spending time with Makoto and her friends..."Danny said.
"Makoto? Who's he?..."Sam asked.
"She's a girl and the first real friend I've made since I got here..."Danny said, smiling fondly and sounding overjoyed that he met her in Japan.
"A...girl, huh?..."Sam said, sounding unsure.
Danny didn't notice as he kept talking.
"Yeah, she's so cool. You should have seen her when she kicked the butt of those thugs who tried to mug me...it was awesome!..."Danny said, smiling fondly as he thought about her.
There was a sudden silence on the other end, and the ghost boy became concerned.
"Uh...guys?..."Danny asked, wondering what was going on.
After a moment, there was an answer.
"I'm sorry...did I hear that right? You almost got mugged by thugs?!..."Sam asked, sounding alarmed.
"Uh...yeah...long story...I was walking around town while taking in the very first sights of Japan and I bumped onto them and they tried to shake me down. Makoto stood up for me and even beat them up...you should have seen her, she takes martial arts and she's super nice...using her skills to defend someone who was being picked on. It didn't matter to her if she didn't know me, she was will to step in and took them all down without much effort or even break a sweat!..."Danny said, sounding excited as he said this.
"Cool. Any girl that can kick serious butt is automatically cool in my book..."Tucker said.
"So...this Makoto? Is she cute?..."The techno geek asked, interested.
"Tucker?!..."Sam said annoyed.
"More than cute, she's hot!..."Danny stated simply.
"DANNY!..."Sam shouted on her end, sounding angry.
"What? It's the truth. I'm willing to say that she's even on par with the Sailor Guardians...including Jupiter, she's a total babe!..."Danny said, unaware that is the last thing his gothic friend wanted to hear right now.
"You're suppose to be there to fight some monsters that Clockwork warned you about! NOT drool on some girls who you'll probably never see again after you come back home!..."Sam said in a hostile tone.
Danny heard this and rolled his eyes, sighed with a frown on his face.
"I already know that, Sam. You need to need to remind me. Still, I see no problem in just getting to meet people and make some new friends..."He said, not seeing the look on Sam's face since they were on the phone.
"Clueless..."Tucker was heard muttering on the other end, as his friend was still not aware of the real reason the goth girl reminded him of Clockwork's task.
"Huh? What was that?..."Danny asked.
"Nothing..."Tucker lied, while Sam glared violently to him.
He decided to let his best friend continued taking on the other line of this long distance phone call.
"Anyway, I also met up with Makoto's other friend Minako and-..."Danny paused, realizing he didn't mention her either.
The goth girl took the opportunity to speak up again.
"Minako?..."Sam asked, recognizing that's a girl's name.
Danny didn't know that she was currently looking upset again as this name sounded feminine to her.
"Uh...well...she's...definitely...unique...it's hard to describe her. Okay, she's pretty cool, so that's one way to describe her...Aside from being super...friendly and full of energy..."Danny said, blushing at the thought of her too, remembering how bubbly Minako was when he first met her.
"Is she cute too?..."Tucker asked, clearly wanting to know.
"Definitely, I'd even say that she can probably give Paulina and Star some major competition..."Danny admitted, smiling a bit and being very honest with his opinion.
Sam felt a spike of jealous and rage, envy swelling up within her.
"Is that so? She must be awful like them too..."She said bitterly.
"No, she's not. She's a very nice girl, and I would appreciate you not lumping her in their category. Especially since you didn't even meet her yet..."Danny said, being serious.
Sam was actually speechless for a moment over what he just said.
"I...uh..."She stammered.
"I mean it...she and Makoto are really pretty but they are very nice too. Neither of them have treated me like the loser most of our classmates see me as, and I am even willing to say we're friends now..."He said.
"Wow...not even there a week and you are already made friends with two cute Japanese girls. Makes me wish I was there with you even more now..."Tucker said, sounding jealous.
Danny explained more details about what happened, telling them about what he has been up to lately.
"Anyway, I just hung out with them and even had some yakisoba...a really great dish by the way, especially with soy sauce..."He said, licking his lips as he could still remember of that particular Japanese dish.
Same with udon.
"Anyway, we all ate together and had fun..."Danny said, patting his stomach.
"You do realize that you're not there on vacation right? You're SUPPOSE to find those monsters, defeat them and come back home before school starts again!..."Sam nagged.
"I know and me and the Sailor Guardians will definitely get that done and beat up the locci's who are behind all this. We're already making preparations..."Danny said.
"Locci's?..."Tucker thought, but his friend continued.
"As for the other stuff...but...well, how many times do I get the chance to visit another country? Japan is really cool. Plus the girls here are 5 times as pretty and 10 times friendlier than the one's back home. Really glad I came..."Danny said, not realizing that he was angering his goth friend even more with that.
"Noted. Just don't forget your reason for being there..."Sam said, however her tone was making it clear that she was trying hard to suppress her jealousy right now.
"Yeah...and don't forget to bring us some souvenirs too when you come back..."Tucker said.
"Seriously?!..." Sam questioned, sounding really annoyed right now.
"What?! If he can enjoy some leisure time, then he has time to get us us some souvenirs that we can't get here..."The techno geek said like it was nothing.
"Don't encourage him!..." Sam went, sounding ticked.
Danny continued to talk to his friends over the phone, until he needed to hung up and get some needed rest for tomorrow.
He was gonna need it.
Later
With Minako
Minako was now home. She showered, dressed up in her pajama's and was brushing her hair, as she was getting ready for bed.
However, she wasn't in the best mood right now. Mostly, because of what happened earlier between her and one of her best friends.
"Ugh! I can't believe this!..."She grumbled, looking sour.
"I know that face, what is it this time? Having more boy-troubles or a lack of any?..."Artemis guessed.
"Very funny. I'm just annoyed that Makoto and the others had to crash my date with Danny-san..."She grumbled.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but but shouldn't you have other concerns like the new enemies we will be facing in a few days? Not to mention, getting this love triangle your forcing your way into out of your system before meeting up with the rest of the group?..."Artemis said, before noticing something.
"Also, why did you mention Makoto's name like that?..."He asked, but he already knew the answer.
"No reason. I just simply calling Mako-chan by her actual name...there's nothing wrong with what I did. I'm not mad or anything...even if I had asked Danny-san to go on an outing with just the two of us, but I couldn't do it with everyone sitting across from us. Not to mention, she had to try and butt into our conversation before I could even attempt to ask him out. If she doesn't even plan on making a move on him, why get in my way?..."She grumbled, as she slightly pouted with little inflated cheeks.
Artemis heard this, sighed and shook his head before he tried to calm his teenage friend down.
"Minako, jealousy is not a pleasant look on you. As for what happened earlier...are you sure that you're not misreading the situation?..."He said, hoping that this won't strain their friendship.
"If there is one thing I know about, it's about boys and liking them. If Makoto isn't even planning on making a move on him, I don't see why she has to get mad and get in my way of landing a new boyfriend, especially a cute foreign one..."She said, arms crossed and pouting.
Artemis grumbled.
"Minako, you really need to tone down your game. I know hormones are hard for you control, but I don't think every guy will react the same to having a cute girl being so forward..."He said, recalling how nervous Danny seemed to be around her earlier.
"What do you mean by that? And who are you calling forward?!..."Minako asked, offended.
"I feel this Danny would have been more receptive if you weren't so eager. You're acting like he's the last guy on Earth and your only shot at a relationship or getting married..."The cat criticized.
"I was not! I was just doing some flirting is all. Besides, we're teenagers and Danny is a cute guy who's close to my age. It only makes sense to try and find love if I am unattached right now. Besides, I'm doing him a favor for letting someone like me show interest in him..."The blonde girl, still believing that she didn't do anything wrong.
"She may have problems like everyone else...but self confidence is not one of them..."Artemis thought, as he decided to be frank with her.
"So, what is your big plan and the end game? Hit on both Phantom and Fenton and just date whichever responds to your advances or string the two of them along?..."He asked, glaring at her.
"I'd never do something as horrible as string them along! I told you that what I am doing is some innocent flirting. I can't help it if I met a cute foreigner and a hot superhero on the same week! However, if they both just happen to fall in love with me and ask me out...well, I guess I'll have a tough decision to make but I'll cross that bridge when time comes..."Mianko said.
Artemis sighed.
"Sometimes I wonder how logic works in that little head of yours work as soon as boys are mentioned..."He muttered.
"Watch it!..."Minako said in annoyance, looking ready to smack him again.
However, Minako soon heard a ping from her phone, she glanced at it and let out a gasp of excitement.
"OH MY GOSH! PHANTOM-SAN IS ON THE NEWS AGAIN! I've got to turn the TV on! Where's the remote?!..."She said in a fangirly way as she read the news article and frantically watch the news showing a clip that was filmed by one of the witnesses at the time.
Artemis nearly dropped as he saw how quick Minako's attention flipped from one boy to another in an instant.
"She really does have a rather unique way of getting over one boy for another. I just wish that she'd focus all this monster energy of her on her training...or her school work..."He thought with a sweat drop, as the blonde teenage girl continued to admire and fangirl over her favorite American superhero.
All the while thinking back on the cute American boy that her best friend managed to meet before her.
The same one who she still thought as cute, almost as much as the ghost boy whom she was still fangirling over right now.
Meanwhile
With Makoto
The tall girl was now back home.
She showered, put on her pajamas and decided to make some tea before going to bed. Something she found herself doing on occasions whenever she's troubled by something.
The tall girl was in the apartment that she lived in...all alone.
She let out a quiet sigh as she made herself her tea. As she brewed her tea, she thought back to earlier with Danny and what happened when they were with the others.
"What's going on with Minako? I know that she probably thinks Danny is cute but...why did her flirting with him annoy me so much?..."She thought, as she poured the tea into a cup, and added some sugar.
She blew on it and waited it to cool, as she sitting on her sofa couch and looked around.
As the tall girl sat and sipped her tea, she thought about her new friend from America and how nice he was to her since they met. Despite being shorter than her and from another country, Danny didn't seem intimidated by her at all, unlike most of the boys here in Juuban.
If anything, he thought that she was cool and he never once acted like he was afraid of her.
Shy, sure...but she saw the look in his eyes and didn't see any fear in them...just sincerity.
"A nice guy who isn't afraid of me and thinks I'm cool...and he's from another country and will be heading home in a few days. Typical...if only the other guys at school were more like Danny, I'd probably find someone who could help me forget about...him..."She thought, sighing as she found this typical of her life.
Makoto shook her head, she did want to remember him right now. The tall girl's mind went back to Minako's earlier accusation of her liking Danny to. That made the tall girl think for a bit.
"Do I like him? I mean...he is nice and cute...even if he is shorter than me but that's not a deal breaker...still, I don't think he sees me as anything more than a friend. He's probably just nice to me because I saved him from those thugs and we just wanted to be grateful. I shouldn't read to into that..."She thought, sighing bitterly.
She knew her luck with guys was bad, and she didn't want to set herself up for disappointment. She tried to be realistic here since as nice of a guy that Danny is...she didn't want to make things awkward between them since he wasn't even going to be staying long in Japan anyway.
And despite what her friends told her earlier, she didn't want to press her luck and make things awkward between them.
After all, it's not often that shorter guys fall in love with girls that are taller than them...at least not with her experiences.
"Maybe best I don't make a move. I don't wanna make our short time together awkward if he rejects me..."She thought as she finished up her tea but it did little help her.
She finished her tea, quickly washed the last few dishes and put them away due to not wanting to be messy.
Makoto decided to go to bed early, knowing that tomorrow is going to be really busy as she, the girls and Phantom all had to work together to prepare for the upcoming attack.
She just hoped that everything would work out.
The Next Day
Danny, in his ghost form, soon arrived to the abandoned warehouse near the Juuban construction site. Right there waiting for him were the Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask.
"Hey..."Danny said, glad that he didn't forget the necklace this time.
"Good morning, Phantom-san..."Mercury greeted politely.
"Hello Phantom, glad to see ya..."Moon said cheerfully, waving at him.
"Hey there, Phantom-san. Miss me?..."Venus said in a flirty way, winking at him.
Danny sweated and gulped at that while Mars and Tuxedo Mask both rolled their eyes at that.
"Here we go again..."Mars muttered.
"Just try to endure this for a couple more days, at least until we get rid of those Locci's..."The male hero said, annoyed.
Jupiter sent them annoyed looks, before she approached the ghost kid.
"It's good to see you again, Phantom-san..."She said.
Danny blushed at seeing her.
"Uh...yeah. You too, Jupiter. You and all your friends...here..."The ghost kid said, rubbing the back of his head.
"We should start with this meeting and strategize an effective method of location and combat..."Mercury said in a logical way.
"Yeah, as well as keep up with our training and search across Juuban for any more of the enemy lurking about. With the attack coming very soon, those locci's are probably already close by and it's probably best to keep an eye out..."Jupiter said.
"Sure. That sounds like the best to start with..."Danny said, as Venus wrapped her arms around his.
"Dibs on searching with Phantom-san!..."She said, making the ghost kid blush even more.
Venus was the looks that she was getting from her team mates and frowned.
"What? Someone has to be with him and neither Mars or Tuxedo Mask are going to volunteer. I may as well do it..."She said, as she nuzzled into his arm and making the ghost kid blush even more.
"Just yesterday she was all over Fenton-san and now she's hitting on Phantom again. She knows that she can't date both of them, right?..."Moon said, while the Sailor Guardian in orange kept flirting with their ghostly ally.
"Lets just hope that she won't get too distracted on the task at hand..."Mercury said, sweat dropping.
All the while Jupiter kept glaring at Minako.
"First Danny-kun and now Phantom. Is there a guy she won't jump?..."Jupiter thought in annoyance before calming her emotions. She wondered why she was so frustrated to think such thoughts.
"It's probably best that one of us acts as a chaperone with them..."Mars said, frowning.
"Because you still don't trust Phantom...or because you think Venus might try to make out with him and forget her task all together..."Mercury whispered to her.
"A little of column A...and a little of column B. Mostly column B..."Mars admitted, as the training began.
Later
After they trained and made some plans, they decided to search the area for anything unusual and decided to make small teams to do so. However, they still didn't trust Venus to get the job done seriously if she got distracted by Phantom and decided that they did indeed someone to serve as "chaperone".
"Okay...Me and Tuxedo Mask will search North from here, Mercury and Mars can search by South side of town...Jupiter, Venus and Phantom can look around the West side of town..."Moon said, making the groups all blink.
"Uh...why did you decide that?..."Mercury asked.
"Because it works. Those pairings would be most effective..."Moon said simply, before whispering to the others.
"Besides, Tuxedo and Mars clearly don't wanna be around Phantom...and let's be honest, you're not as assertive as Jupiter, Mercury. Plus, Venus will probably use this opportunity to do more than just land a date with him and lose track of what we're doing, if you know what I mean..."Moon admitted.
Mercury seemed offended, but soon realized what going with them would entail and nodded.
"Point taken..."She said, knowing this is the rare time that Sailor Moon knew what she was talking about.
All the while, Danny was still processing this arrangement.
"So...I'm teaming up with both Jupiter and Venus...wow..."He thought, wondering about his sudden luck of hanging out with beautiful girls.
And these two are superheroes too.
Elsewhere
Far away from Juuban, a figure soon emerged from the shadows.
The shadowy figure looked around its surroundings as if it were expecting someone. However, he wasn't alone and this other entity made itself known.
"You're early. Sadly, Dōkeshi has been slain... now it's your turn. Do not fail like he did..."A deep voice said, being quick and unsympathetic.
The figure looked up at the sky with an angry expression on it's face.
"It's time...so close...yet so far, I'm the only one here. I suppose I'll just have to fix that..."The other figure said in a dark voice, still looking frustrated about something.
"They will arrive soon, best hope you won't need their aid. Now go..."The first one ordered.
The figure soon wondered back into the shadowy area, his intentions still left unknown as whatever was speaking to him remained.
"I know not who that boy in black and white was, but he will not interfere any longer..."Was heard, before the figure vanished.
-To be continued-
Next time on A Phantom's Love and Courage
Teaming up with two super beauties: The growing affections of Venus and Jupiter
A/N: Me and NeoMark would like to thank Jay The Average Fanboy and BeConfuzzled Writer for helping with this chapter. You guys rock :)
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewer:
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