Chapter 5: Casper High versus NYC School

The Casper High students were called for an assembly. "Attention, students." Principal Ishiyama said. "Mayor Vlad Masters and the Mayor of New York, as part of a project to connect the cities with the most ghost problems in America, organized a game between our school and NYC School."

"Awesome!" Dash said. "They'll never want to even see a football after we're done with them!"

"Mr. Baxter, as much as your enthusiasm is appreciated, the game this time is basketball." Mr. Lancer pointed out.

"We still are going to win!" Dash tried to reassure the school.

"Don't be so sure, Mr. Baxter." Principal Ishiyama replied. "One of their players, an Andy Baker, is so good some people consider him the next Michael Collins."

"And he happens to be friends with someone who also goes by that name." Tucker replied with a smile, unaware that it's no mere coincidence the two Michaels had the same name.

"We're going to New York for the match this Saturday." Principal Ishiyama announced. "Every student wanting to go with us must have authorization from their parents or guardians. Preferably by Thursday so we can adjust hotel reservations."

"Star, your grandparents live in New York, right?" Paulina asked. "Could you get your maternal ones to give us better accommodations than whatever can be done on a school budget?"

"I can talk to them but no promises here." Star diplomatically answered, not wanting to be that much of a suck-up to Paulina.

"Danny, do you think we'll get to meet Jane and Stacy?" Tucker eagerly asked.

"I don't care." Danny replied.

"Only because you already have a girlfriend." Tucker moaned. "What about me?"

"Ha!" Dale laughed. "Did the goth finally confess her feelings?"

"No, and that joke's running old." Danny replied with a frown.

"Clueless." Dale muttered.

The assembly was over and Danny went to his locker to pick up stuff he needed for the next class when Paulina interrupted him. "Fenton, you may think you're great with that ghost-catching show you performed in New York but I'm not impressed." The shallow cheerleader said. "My ghost boy is way better than you."

"So what?" Danny asked, uninterested.

"Aren't you sad I don't want anything with you?" Paulina asked.

"I'm dating somebody else, Paulina, and I've already seen you for the shallow girl you are." Danny firmly stated.

"I don't believe either claim, Fenton." Paulina mocked Danny.

"Whatever." Danny replied, closed his locker, and went to class.

After classes ended, Danny went back home and told his parents about the game and Jack eagerly signed Danny's authorization. "You just want to spend more time with Liv, right?" Jack asked.

"Maybe." Danny replied with a smile.

"Anyway, you'd better take a Jack-o-nine-tails with you just in case another ghost shows up." Jack suggested.

"Great idea, Dad." Danny replied, secretly worried a ghost could attack during another occasion he couldn't go ghost without exposing himself.

On the day of the journey to New York, Danny and his friends were inside a bus. Sam wouldn't have minded, except for one detail. "Why did they have to come?" Sam grumbled.

"Given the reason for this travel, it's unavoidable the A-Listers would come." Danny replied and Tucker nodded.

"I mean my parents, Danny." Sam replied. "Why did they have to come?"

"To keep an eye on you, young lady." Jeremy Manson sternly stated. "And to make sure you'll make better friends than Fenton and Foley. "Michael Collins' son is a student at the other school."

Nobody noticed Danny's chuckle at the mention of his girlfriend's friend Mike. "Do you know him?" He asked. "Why're you so sure he'll be a better friend than Tucker or me?"

"Michael Collins is a rich and famous basketball player, Fenton." Pamela Manson answered. "That alone is enough and perhaps they can become something more."

"Assuming he's available, of course." Danny replied, remembering Charlie.

"Even if he isn't, why would a rich boy like him settle for a goth like you when he can have me?" Paulina asked.

"Giving up on the ghost boy, Paulina?" Danny teased the shallow cheerleader.

"As if." Paulina scoffed. "I just need to be seen with other famous boys until my ghost boy makes it official."

"Shallow girl." Sam muttered.

"You're just envious." Paulina replied.

Sam decided not to dignify that statement with an answer.

When they eventually arrived at a hotel in New York, Andy, liv and Mike were there to welcome their friends. "Good news, Pamela!" Jeremy exclaimed upon seeing Danny and Liv embrace each other. "The Fenton boy is dating somebody else! Samantha now has no choice but to move on!"

"Who cares about a loser with bad taste for boys?" Paulina asked. "I want to meet Michael Collins' son."

"Here he is." Andy replied while showing Mike.

Paulina gave a skeptical look. "Him?" She asked in disbelief. "I think not. No way a basketball star like Michael Collins would allow a son of his to become a fat version of Tucker Foley."

"Don't be so skeptical, Paulina." Dash replied with a malicious smile. "Michael Collins might have decided to bulk him up for football and something went wrong."

"Don't talk about Mike like that." Liv demanded.

"Kids, we have to check-in." Mr. Lancer pointed out.

"We'll meet at Central Park, Danny." Liv said as he and the other Casper High students entered.

Danny and Tucker shared a room. "Danny, why didn't you tell me your girlfriend is friends with Michael Collins' son?" Tucker asked.

"It didn't seem important, Tucker." Danny replied. "I didn't think much of it and Mike doesn't seem to let it define him. I only knew because Andy took offense to me not knowing who Michael Collins, the basketball player, is."

Someone knocked on their door. It was Sam. "Sam?" Danny asked.

"I had to come here." The goth explained. "Do you know the nightmare it is to share a room with Paulina?"

"The nightmare I'd love to have." Tucker answered and Sam glared at him.

"Tucker, this is serious." Sam scolded her friend and then turned her attention to her other friend. "Is Mike Collins really the son of a famous basketball player? My parents are telling me to befriend him because of that."

"Yeah, I was surprised at first." Danny commented. "Like you, he doesn't give a rich kid vibe."

"Does Michael Collins try to make his son another him?" Sam asked with a frown. "I could help him rebel."

"I don't know, Sam." Danny answered, feeling he didn't know enough about their family to answer Sam's question.

"Mike is a nice guy." Tucker said. "I don't think you'll have problem with being his friend but, are your parents that bad?"

"They're the ones forcing me to share a room with Paulina." Sam answered.

"I wish my parents were like that." Tucker said.

"For as long as they don't force anything more than friendship, it'll be okay, Sam." Danny reassured her. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to meet Liv at Central Park."

"We'll go with you." Sam replied, making Danny and Tucker stare at her. "In case a ghost attacks."

"Oh, no, you won't." Pamela Manson replied, revealing her presence. "You're staying here where it's safe from ghosts and from undesirable boys."

"See you later, Sam." Danny said as her mother dragged her away. He and Tucker then went to Central Park.

"Danny, what's Tucker doing here?" Liv asked.

"I couldn't stop him from coming, Liv." Danny answered. "Is your brother around?"

"No, Danny." Liv answered. "He and his teammates are practicing for the game."

"I still can't believe he's a star jock." Tucker commented. "He seemed so nice."

"What do you mean?" Liv asked, not understanding her boyfriend's friend.

"Back home, the best jocks are immune from scorn and they do abuse that privilege to get away with bullying." Tucker explained, making Liv frown.

"How unfair." Liv commented. "I presume the both of you would rather see your school lose the game."

"For as long as they keep winning football matches, I don't think it'll make a difference, unfortunately." Danny sadly replied.

Before anyone else would say anything, Liv's ectocap beeped and she turned around to answer the call without being seen by Tucker. "Is she concerned about make-up?" The techno-geek asked.

"Alright, I'm on my way." Liv replied. "There's a ghost attacking the hotel!" She told Danny and Tucker.

"I'll look for a place to go ghost without being seen." Danny replied, shocking Tucker with the fact Liv already knew. Danny and Tucker then went to an area where nobody else was watching them. "I'm going ghost!"

As Danny started flying towards the hotel, another flyer approached him. "Going my way, Phantom?" Myst asked.

As they arrived, they saw a ghost turtle fighting Fury and Krush. "That ghost's making everyone as slow as a... turtle." Fury commented.

Danny shot a beam at the ghost turtle, giving Krush enough time to hit it with a Boo Cap. "Thanks for helping us before the ghost reached booster mode." Krush said.

"You're welcome." Danny replied.

"My ghost boy, I knew you'd save me." Paulina said, making Danny roll his eyes.

"I'm not your ghost boy, Paulina." Danny replied and phased himself away. Ghost Force did the same.

"Maybe he's dating the pink ghost girl." Dash suggested to tease Paulina.

"Shut up, Dash!" Paulina demanded.

"You're not the boss of me." Dash replied.

"But I am." Coach Tetslaff said. "You and the other boys must resume practice NOW!"

Later on, Danny came back from his date and Sam and Tucker approached him. "Daniel James Fenton, did you tell Liv Baker you're Danny Phantom?" Sam angrily asked.

"Skulker forced my hand." Danny explained.

"And why didn't you tell us she already knew?" Sam asked and Tucker was silently agreeing with her.

"I don't know." Danny replied, to Sam's frustration.

As the day of the game arrived, the Amity Park boys were amazed at what (or who) they saw. "Twin cheerleaders?" Dash asked in joy. "Awesome! I must find a way to transfer!"

"Not if I find a way first." Tucker replied.

"Boys." Star commented in disgust and Sam, to her displeasure, found herself agreeing with the cheerleader.

"I shouldn't be here." Danny said. "I've been here for so long it's a miracle no particularly powerful ghost attacked Amity Park so far."

"Don't jinx it, Danny." Tucker replied. "Let's enjoy the view and see if Liv introduces me to the local cheerleaders."

During the game, Danny wanted to sit next to Liv but Coach Tetslaff and Mr. Lancer wouldn't let him sit next to the enemy. In spite of the Casper High Ravens' best efforts, the other team was winning. Mostly thanks to Andy Baker and a teammate whose name was announced as Drake Miller.

After the game ended, Dash Baxter tried to approach the twin cheerleaders Jane and Stacy. "Girls, just because you cheer for the other team, it doesn't mean we cannot get to know each other better."

"Go away, loser." One of the twins said.

"Yeah." The other added.

"Loser?" Dash asked in confusion. "Oh, if that's because my team lost the game, it was just a fluke. I'm actually Dash Baxter, star quarterback of Casper High. Cheerleaders like quarterbacks, right?"

"We prefer basketball over football, loser." The first twin replied.

"And we support our Drake Miller." The other added.

"These girls want the best." Drake bragged.

"But I'm not available so they settle for you." Andy teased Drake.

"Young dragons, you shouldn't fight each other." A man said and the players looked at him in awe.

"That's Michael Collins!" Dash exclaimed. "May I have your autograph? And, did you bring a paper and a pen of your own?"

"Forget that loser, Mr. Collins." Drake said. "Did you see me in action? Don't you think I'm the son you never had?"

"I think you're quite insensitive for saying that in front of my actual son." Michael answered.

"You tell him, Dad!" Mike happily exclaimed.

"He's really Michael Collins' son!" Paulina said. "I must get a date with him and hope my ghost boy doesn't find out!"

"Pathetic." Jane and Stacy said, not approving Paulina's attitude.

"Wanna go grab a bite, Danny?" Liv asked. "My treat."

"Sure thing, Liv." Danny replied.

End chapter

Author's Note: The idea of Star having grandparents living in New York is a reference to flowerprincess11's Stranded series.

Answer to Leonardo (Guest): Eu tive e espero que você também tenha tido. Quanto ao número de capítulos, ainda não decidi.