Inkaliber: Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 18. This one will be Danny centric and another thing I've been meaning to set in motion for a while now. It's time for him to stand up to Dash! Before that, however, let's answer some reviews.
Mace- I'm answering this one first because I feel like it needs to be addressed. First off, I did get a little carried away with that part, but I kept with it thinking that it could include some pre-series moments.
Secondly, it's not a terrible ship. Just because it's harder to come up with a name for the ship, doesn't mean it's bad. Plus, you can come up with a name like Black Specter or Ecto Tigress.
Lastly, I don't hate Sam. I loved the relationship she had with Danny in the show but she has shown a mean streak. I just follow the flow of the story and went with what I feel like. As to Juleka and Rose, I see them more as friends. It's not a hatred but an opinion. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I respect yours and I will ask you to respect mine.
Meowth: Leave da boss alone! Keep it up and I'll…
Inkaliber: Sabrina!
Sabrina: Calm down Meowth. Come here.
Meowth: Let me go so I can… Ooh. A little to the left with that head scratch. Yeah.
Inkaliber: Thanks Sabrina. He was about to claw at my computer. Anyway, on to other reviews!
joekeybladeaura- Only time will tell if she does. Well that's your opinion and I respect it. Well you'll have to read and find out. :)
Fregreg- Oh that would be hilarious. I'll definitely consider it.
myslef- It really isn't her place. You are absolutely right there. I also understand what you mean by the bullies thing. That's why Chloe is trying to earn everyone's trust in her and prove that she's being better.
P96822- Thanks! Also Deadpool I know what happened now. I also know about the last one coming up. That new anime is gonna look cool.
Well put on Chloe not being like Paulina. Sam's experience is mainly skewed by her crush on Danny and she needs to be a reality check. She may have been right about Valerie in the end, but the girl could have changed.
Meowth: Ha! Even that Deadpool guy found a good name for the pairing. Janny sounds really nice!
Sabrina: Calm down. Everything's okay.
Inkaliber: Ugh. This is gonna be a long day. Moving on…
Candledeep_Archivist- Glad you likes it!
FreelanceroftheTriforceKeyblade- Lol, now that's a funny idea. Gotta write that one down. This may or may not be handled later.
Yeah she's going a bit far. I promise someone will address the issue soon. Whether it's handled entirely or not, I'll leave that up to speculation.
The_Keeper_of_Worlds- Glad you think so! That definitely would be funny. That does sound like an interesting story idea.
Sabrina: Trust me. He's writing it down right now.
Meowth: Ha! He is!
Inkaliber: Could you two please stop? We're at the end of the reviews and I'd like to get to the chapter.
Sabrina and Meowth: Sorry!
Inkaliber: Sigh. Anyway, let's get this started. I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, DC, or any other series that show up here. I do own any original characters, concepts, creatures, and places that work their way into the story unless stated otherwise. Roll tape!
(Also I decided to restructure how the usernames are displayed here in the notes. From now on they'll be set up by where the character lives. AKA, the location roles. Let me know what you think.)
Username list
Paris People
Mousegirl15- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix(Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
Haunted Folks
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GothQueen/GQueen- Sam
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
JazzyTime- Jazz
Kids of America
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing)
Babs21- Barbara (Babs) (Username change Pending)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
Amity Park, Illinois
Danny sighed as he walked the halls of Casper High, lacking sleep after yet another week long ghost hunt. Apparently one of his usual enemies, a hunter ghost named Skulker, didn't get the message that it was midterm week, so the boy had to operate on low power mode all week. Thankfully they were able to set the little booger back for a long while, but he already trudged through his exams so it wasn't as comforting as he'd hoped. Strangely his grades had been rising in all of his classes ever since the MGG was founded by him and the other moderators. This brought another issue to his mind as Sam and Tucker entered his line of sight.
"Ugh!" cried Tucker as he rubbed his temples. "Skulker just wouldn't give up! If I didn't study all night after we finished with him, I'd be more worried about that test we just took. Literature is my worst subject." Sam rolled her eyes in annoyance, agreeing with the tech geek.
"I had to borrow some of Mom's coffee to get through that." Stated the goth girl. "I know we're a bit young to have the stuff but I really needed it." Danny frowned as he looked towards the duo. A lot had been on his mind for the past few days, even beyond the issues with Skulker. The main issue was what to do about Sam's behavior.
Ever since he and Juleka became fast friends, she's been a terror to the server. He's had to defend her place multiple times to the other moderators, but even he was beginning to question if her attitude was worth it. It got even worse a few days ago when Bee first joined the server with Hound. Danny was at his wits end with the goth girl, their friendship no longer a defendable point. He walked up to them, a mission in mind.
"Sam." Greeted the halfa. His tone made it very clear that he was not happy. Tucker had the wisdom to slowly back towards the other side of the hall, knowing full well what a fight between these two could lead to. Sam, however, did not have this wisdom as she assumed the de facto leader to be tired. She sent him a small smile as she sighed.
"Hey Danny. I heard that a new rock band was in town. I know Ember is likely to try and do something but…" Danny held up his hand, clearly showing his disinterest in the topic. Sam was quick to quiet down, looking a little disappointed.
"We need to talk, now. You've been acting off for a long while now. Specifically when interacting with the guild. I don't appreciate your bad attitude." Sam frowned, finally realizing the tone of this conversation.
"Like you've been any better. Ever since meeting those guys you've been supporting them more than us. I'm starting to think they're a bad influence on you." Danny growled, his eyes glowing slightly in anger. It didn't register in his head that this sleep deprived moment was not the best time to have a serious conversation.
"Don't change the subject Sam, and don't you dare say that about the guys. They've been nothing but supportive of our group, Raven even helping us understand the Pyromutt situation. I'm sick of having to defend your place in the chat every other day. What's your deal?" Sam growled as she got up in the boy's face.
"First, its name is Hellhound, not Pyromutt! Second, If you haven't figured it out by now then there's no hope for it. Bee is a massive problem, and you know it!" Danny took a deep breath in order to get control of himself. He didn't need the whole school knowing his identity.
"You've been causing issues even before she and Hound joined us Sam. If this is about me and Tigress 'supposedly flirting' then you need to get over it. We're just friends, we just bonded faster than either of us expected. Look, if you don't start cleaning up your act I'm not defending you next time. Whether you stay in the guild or not will be up to Mouse and Nightwing from here on."
Sam couldn't help the hurt expression that formed on her face. Danny was seriously going to let two people he's never even met have their way with her?... Maybe she did overstep herself a bit. He hadn't been interacting with Juleka as much and, while she was still certain Bee was up to something, she had been a little more wound up lately. Her answer to his words were cut off as a loud stomping was heard coming down the hall.
"FENTON!" roared an annoyingly familiar voice. The arguing duo groaned at the sight of the approaching school bully. He had blonde hair fashioned into a military cut, blue eyes that held great rage in them, and a muscular physique. He wore a red-and-white letterman jacket, with a black t-shirt underneath, dark blue jeans, and white shoes. This was Dash Baxter, or Dashmaster as the rest of the guild would know him.
He walked up to the duo, completely ignoring Tucker's presence. "We just lost a big game yesterday! Ready to feel the pain for it?" Danny growled, his mood already bad at the moment. He gestured to Dash, something that surprised the bully slightly.
"I don't see how you being off your game is my fault. I've been actively avoiding you for the past month so I wouldn't have the time to mess up your game." Sam nodded in agreement as she glared the blonde's way.
"Yeah, so why don't you go practice some more?" advised the goth. "If the other team beat you, then train harder so they can't do it again. That's how life works." Dash growled in rage as he rounded on Sam. She was unprepared for the outburst as he punched the locker beside her head.
"You want me to take it out on you instead Goth-Freak!?" roared the bully. Danny's eyes glowed as he felt a blazing fury inside him. He may have been arguing with Sam, but that didn't mean he was going to let Dash harass her. The bully had been especially hard on them lately, and the ghost hero was at his wits' end. He looked like he was about to blow his stack when Tucker placed a hand on Dash's shoulder.
"Back off Dash!" ordered the tech geek. It was rare for him to get confrontational with the bulky guy, but he too didn't like the way he was threatening Sam. Dash looked like he was about to round on Tucker, only to yelp as he felt a jolt of static in his arm. He suddenly backed away from the trio, growling as he rubbed the offended limb. He looked to the culprit with a growl.
"Foley! We talked about not touching me! You and your crazy static shirt always zap me! You wanna be re-introduced to the toilet!?" Tucker's frown remained as he and Danny both stood defensively in front of Sam.
"Go after Sam like that again and you'll become very familiar with this shirt Dash! We may not be athletes, but we don't tolerate jerks like you." Dash looked like he was about to tackle both boys to the ground, only for a the sound of a slow clap to ring through the hall.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Stated a sassy voice. All eyes turned to a dark skinned girl with long, curly hair and hunter green eyes. She wore a yellow camisole, an orange skirt, yellow socks, and white tennis shoes. This was Valerie Gray, an outlier of the popular kids and a sort-of friend Danny and the others. She had her own beef with the A-listers after their desertion of her a few years ago.
Her arms remained crossed as she glared the blonde boy down. "You've gotten so petty that you take your losses out on others. To think I used to find you cool. Now you're just pig headed." Dash got up in Valerie's face, not at all fond of her words.
"You think you're so tough because you've got your own possie now Gray!?" roared the bully. "I'm not afraid to bash you to make you shut up!" Valerie stood her grown as she looked the jock in the eye.
"You can be tough all you want, but don't you dare go hitting girls Dash. Sam and I might not agree on everything, but us girls stick together like glue. If you wanna touch her, or any of them for that matter…" Valerie suddenly grabbed Dash's arm, moving to hold it behind his back. "You deal with me, pretty boy."
"Ow-ow-ow-ow! Let me go! I'll back off!" Valerie quickly did as told, causing Dash to skip a bit as the rest of his team caught him. This made it twice in the day his arm was targeted.
He growled as he looked back to the quartet. "This isn't over Fenton! When I get my hands on you you'll be sorry you ever existed!" The blonde quickly stormed off, the rest of his team not far behind him. Valerie sighed as she shook her head.
"Sometimes I wonder why I even associated with that yellow-bellied prick." She turned to Sam with a sincere smile, something the Goth did not return. "You alright Sam? Looked like you were about to turn vampire colors." Sam stood up from the wall as she looked away.
"I'm fine." Growled the goth. "Thanks. Now go bother someone else." Sam began to walk off, expecting the guys to follow her. She would find herself disappointed later as the boys stayed behind to talk with Valerie.
"Thanks for standing up for us Val." Thanked Danny. "Sorry about Sam. Some personal issues between us have made her more… confrontational. I'd rather not talk about it outside of those who know." Valerie smiled as she raised her brow.
"You two are fighting?" asked the popular girl. "I thought I'd never see the day… Look I'm sorry for ditching you guys when I got my life back together. Took me a while to find out what's really important in life, real genuine connections." Tucker smiled flirtatiously as he rubbed a hand over his hat.
"Really now?" asked the boy. "Wanna make a real genuine connection with me? Like a date to the movies or…" He came to a stop as he noticed the disinterested look on her face. "Never mind. I'm good."
There was a bit of silence before the trio laughed amongst themselves. Danny couldn't help but smile, happy to see that someone was untouched by Sam's paranoia. Valerie sent the boy a sincere smile as she rubbed the back of the head.
"What do you say string bean? How about we burry the old hatchet? I know neither of us are interested in getting back together but…" Danny smiled as he nodded his head.
"You're friendship honestly means more to me than our old grudges." Answered the ghost hero. "Any time you wanna sit with us you're welcome to, and you leave Sam to me. I'll be talking with some friends outside of Casper High on what to do about this whole thing." Valerie smiled, happy to have the friendly encounter. Tucker decided to be mean as he waved towards the boy.
"Maybe if you cut down on the flirting with a certain someone she'll calm down." Suggested the geek. "You know how she is when you show interest in someone." Valerie looked to him in interest as Danny felt his cheeks flare up.
"Ooh! Danny-boy's got a new crush!? You better give me the deets, Foley. Walk with us Danny." Tucker smiled evilly at Danny before he walked alongside the strong girl.
"Call me Tucker or Tuck. I'll tell you all I can say outside of the group." As the duo walked along, Danny felt a different kind of rage build up inside of him. This one had an air of annoyance and embarrassment to it. He chased after the duo while shaking his fist.
"TUCKER!" cried Danny. "WE. ARE. NOT. FLIRTING!"
Later
Danny walked through the front door of his house, still worn out from the past day or so. Today was even more exhausting as he had to deal with Dash giving him the evil eye and Valerie joining in on teasing him over his friendship with Juleka. He was happy when the bell rang, allowing him to just fly home. He didn't wanna deal with Sam and he especially didn't want a confrontation with Dash. The thought of the bully brought back a dilemma he had been holding off ever since he created the guild with Dick and Marinette.
Dash had been getting worse and worse when it comes to bullying. If it wasn't for Tucker (who really needed a new shirt that wasn't statically charged) and Valery, Sam would have been the bully's next punching bag. Danny was certain that the moment the bully hurt someone he cared about he would lose control and go ghost on the big guy. It's not like he had other methods of dealing with bad guys, but this situation was a risk to his secret identity. He landed just a few feet from his house, turning back to normal in a flash.
He walked up to the building, taking a deep breath as he walked in. The first thing he saw when entering the door was a very messy living room. It was covered in green ectoplasm and food particles. Danny groaned, knowing exactly what happened. Though it was very clearly still going on as the sounds of a struggle were heard in the kitchen.
"TAKE THIS, YOU POSSESSED MEATLOAF!" cried a masculine voice. Danny shook his head as he tried to walk up to his room. He didn't get far as a massive figure was launched into the living room. The projectile was a very large man with short black hair that was graying on the sides and blue eyes. He wore an orange jumpsuit, complete with black gloves and boots.
Danny watched as his father, Jack Fenton, stood up with a grin. "Stay back son. We're almost done with dinner. USE THE FENTON ECTO MALLET, HONEY!" Jack ran back into the room, a form of gun in hand.
Knowing that he'd be dragged back out by his charismatic father, he stood in wait. The sound of a monster dying in the kitchen signified the end of the fight. He watched as a slim woman in a jumpsuit similar to Jack's walk into the room. The big difference between the two outfits was that her outfit was blue, sported a blue hood, and came with a pair of red goggles. This was Danny's mother, Madeline "Maddy" Fenton.
"Welcome home Danny." Greeted Maddy. "I would hug you but I'm covered in ectoplasmic meatloaf. So, how was school?" Danny sighed as he shook his head. At least she actually cared about his studies.
"It's been fine." Answered the secret halfa. "I keep getting good grades, so that's a positive. The only thing is… Sam and I have kinda been fighting. Her attitude has just been off lately." His mother had a knowing look as she sent him a sympathetic frown.
"It's probably because of your connection to that new friend of yours. The one you keep talking about, Juleka I think." Danny groaned as he shook his head.
"I think so too. I just don't see what Sam's problem is with her. Sure we're fast friends but we aren't flirting. Everyone I know says we are, but we're just friends." Maddy smiled as she rubbed her son's head.
"Well maybe you should take a look at your conversations with her to make sure. You might surprise yourself." Danny sighed in exasperation. He didn't need his mother jumping on the others' bandwagon. Jack slammed the kitchen door open, a plate of pulsating meatloaf in hand.
"Dinner's ready!" cried the big man. "Danny, here's your plate of Meatloaf Surprise." Danny reared back a bit as the plate was shoved in his face. He quickly tried to come up with an excuse not to eat the dreaded meal. Thankfully the front door opened, catching the group's attention.
"Danny!" cheered Jazz as she walked in. "I heard someone got another A in his French quiz! That's three in a row! I brought some pizza back to cele…brate." She blinked as she walked in on the scene, the parents blinking right back at her.
She sent them a deadpanned look. "Meatloaf Surprise? Really, Dad?" Jack quickly threw the plate behind him, the meatloaf on it exploding into ectoplasmic goop. He grabbed Danny by the shoulders in excitement.
"Three A's in a row!? That's a Fenton World Record!" Maddy held her hands together with a grin on her face.
"I am so proud of you Danny!" cheered the woman. "You've become such a good student lately! Your father couldn't even get two A's in a row, not even in high school! This pizza is definitely deserved." She ruffled her son's head, the boy smiling a genuine smile for once.
"Thanks Mom." Chuckled Danny. "My online friends have been helping me keep on top of things. They've been very supportive of me." Maddy couldn't help the happiness she felt in her chest. She was happy her son was finally able to make some genuine friends. Jack quickly draped his hands around her and Danny's shoulders with a massive grin.
"What are we waiting for!?" cheered the large man. "FENTON PIZZA PARTY! I'LL GET THE FUDGE!" Danny laughed as he watched his father run for one of his fudge stashes. This was one of the moments he could genuinely be proud to be around his parents.
Hours later he found himself back in his room, a slice of pizza on his right and a nearly finished homework in front of him. He was currently looking over what the kids from Paris had taught him of the subject, pre-calculus. Pegasus always had the best answer for the problem, but Juleka had a way of explaining it to him that just made sense. He worked out the problem in his head before writing it down, using a calculator to check his work. He sighed as he put the pencil down.
"Alright. That's the last one until Monday. I have a whole weekend to relax. No Lancer, no quizzes, and no… Dash." Danny frowned as he thought about the bully once again.
The pizza party did nothing to help him with his frustrations towards the brute. If Danny didn't find some way to deal with this situation, there was going to be an incident. He sighed as he sat back in his seat. He stared at his computer monitor for a few good minutes, looking at his own reflection in the powered off screen. He got a message on his phone, pausing his thought progress as he retrieved the device.
LadyTigress16: Hey Danny.
How was the French quiz?
Danny sighed with a soft smile, his heart fluttering a bit. No matter what the situation, Juleka always seemed to brighten his day when she messaged him. She was like an angel sent from above. He suddenly remembered a promise he made to her a while back, the day he revealed himself as Phantom to her. He quickly powered on his computer, his mind made up as he began to type.
GhostWatcher: It went great.
Got another A.
LadyTigress16: Everything alright?
Usually you'd sound more excited.
GhostWatcher: You always were good at reading my mood.
I'm keeping my promise.
Eyes on support chat.
LadyTigress16 …Okay.
Danny quickly moved to the guild as he began to type in the support chat. He never thought he'd actually get around to venting in this chat. He figured he'd just be one of the supporters trying to help others. This would be the first time he actually talked with someone outside Amity Park about his issues. It scared him deeply, but something about this just felt right to him. Without a second thought, he posted his problems for everyone to see.
Support Group, Miraculous Gamer Guild Server, Chatty
GhostWatcher has logged on.
GhostWatcher: I can't take it anymore!
I need advice, badly.
Someone please listen to my pain.
Mousegirl15 has logged on.
Babs21 has logged on.
SpiderRose has logged on.
BatTuck has logged on.
LadyTigress16 has logged on.
CyberPegasus has logged on.
BeastMan has logged on.
GQueen has logged on.
HoneyBee22 has logged on.
HoundLover has logged on.
Mr. R0bot0 has logged on.
Starmoth03 has logged on.
EbonyRaven has logged on.
Sk8terBunny has logged on.
JazzyTime has logged on.
GhostWatcher: …I didn't expect almost everyone to show up.
Mr.R0bot0: Who's causing pain to my little buddy!?
I got a plasma cannon with his or her name on it!
BeastMan: We're here Danny my dude!
Also, Bot, if that is true get in line.
SpiderRose: Spider Rose to the rescue!
Super Hug
JazzyTime: Something's bothering you!?
Why didn't you ever tell me!?
I'm your sister!
CyberPegasus: I have a playlist that I calculated would fit your tastes ready and waiting for if you need it.
HoneyBee22: I have my contacts ready in case you want me to ruin him.
I may be trying to be a better person, but ammunition is still ammunition.
HoundLover: Remember not to go too far Bee.
Also everyone here check your emotions.
Hawkmoth is always watching.
Sk8terBunny: Alright!
Who's legs am I breaking today!?
Babs21: Got a name for the problem?
I can dive into his accounts and mess with him as much as you need.
Also, Hawkmoth?
I've heard you guys talk about him so much but never asked who he is.
Mousegirl15: Everyone please calm down!
I'm worried about Danny too but let's let him talk before you bring out the pitchforks.
Nightwing I see your status.
Now is not the time to lurk.
NightwingFan: Call it I was in the shower when I heard the server blowing up with notifications.
I thought someone was playing Jingle Bells downstairs on a piano or something.
Also, Babs I'll explain later.
SeaMonkey has logged on.
SeaMonkey: I'm here!
I'm on a date with my girlfriend at the pool but she let me hop on since it's an emergency.
GhostWatcher: Get back to your date man!
I've got plenty of help here right now.
SeaMonkey: No way.
I never leave my friends in peril.
Mousegirl15: Exactly!
Now tell us what's going on.
BatTuck: I have a feeling I know the problem, but I'll let Danny explain it.
GQueen: Same.
GhostWatcher: Okay.
So you know how I've mentioned Dashmaster many times here in the chat?
Well he's gone too far this time.
Mousegirl15: Oh no!
What did he do!?
Babs21: Looking him up now.
GhostWatcher: Today he was ready to pummel me or shove me in a locker because he lost a football game.
I tried to peacefully send him away and Sam tried to help.
He then threatened to pummel Sam, something he doesn't normally threaten to do.
Sk8terBunny: Seriously?
Now I might actually break his legs.
Babs21: Okay now I'm actually looking him up.
NightwingFan: Use the big computer.
EbonyRaven: I should have a spell I can place on him from here.
How would you like for his hair to be pink for five days?
Starmoth03: He sounds like the worst kind of bully.
He would not last long in my country if her were to treat women this way.
GQueen: What are you?
An Amazon?
Starmoth03: No, but my country has very strong women in it.
LadyTigress16: Let's get back to the matter at hand.
How exactly would you like us to help Danny?
GhostWatcher: I am this close to attacking him if he keeps this up.
The only thing is that I don't know my own strength and I don't want there to be an incident.
There's got to be a better way to defend myself and my friends.
Babs21: I leave that to Nightwing.
He's the one who's been offering this for a long time now.
HoneyBee22: I could buy you a body guard, but I have a feeling Nightwing has a better idea.
NightwingFan: Can't exactly have a bodyguard at all times at school.
When the teachers won't do anything to help, which makes me recommend finding a new school, the next best thing is training in martial arts.
If you're unfocused I can teach you how to control your strength and better defend yourself.
GhostWatcher: I don't know.
I really don't wanna start a fight.
NightwingFan: If he attacks you then you might not have a choice.
Plus I know plenty of pressure points that can help you have him at your mercy.
GQueen: I don't trust this.
How much are you charging?
BatTuck: Sam, for once could you just not?
NightwingFan: To answer your question, I'm charging nothing.
The longer you're my friend, and I mean genuinely my friend, the more you become like family to me.
I'm not letting some bully harm my family.
Babs21: Understatement of the year.
Just be glad he's not the violent one of his brothers.
LadyTigress16: You okay Danny?
JazzyTime: I'm checking on him now.
GQueen: I'm sure he's thinking on what's going on.
BeastMan: We'll see.
Anyway, you took your date to a pool MK?
SeaMonkey: Yeah, she's an Olympic swimmer by passion.
She doesn't know that I used half of my allowance to reserve us a seat at Chez Dimitri.
HoneyBee22: An excellent choice.
If she's a big fan of ratatouille I recommend theirs.
SeaMonkey: Noted.
Mousegirl15: He's been gone for a while.
You okay Danny?
JazzyTime: He was happy crying.
Give him a moment.
HoundLover: Don't cry Danny!
Rose send in the tactical hug!
SpiderRose: On it!
Tactical Hug Incoming!
GhostWatcher: I'm okay.
No tactical hug necessary.
I've thought it over Nightwing.
NightwingFan: And?
GhostWatcher: I'm taking you up on your offer.
GQueen: Danny, just get your mom to teach you.
She's already a crazy strong fighter.
GhostWatcher: She'd just tell me to tough it out and try to make peace with him.
I need to know how to defend myself because, unlike Bee, Dash will never change.
NightwingFan: Alright.
We can start as early as you need to.
GhostWatcher: Tomorrow.
I'll go somewhere that my folks won't catch on.
BatTuck: You can use the back yard here.
My folks won't mind and it's the perfect excuse.
GhostWatcher: Alright.
Jazz I'll ask you to cover for me if they ask what's going on.
JazzyTime: Of course.
I've covered for you plenty of times before.
LadyTigress16: Just be careful Danny.
If you ever need anything just talk to us.
Even Ladybug needs Chat Noir and Honey Bee to back her up.
GQueen: For once we agree.
Just talk to us Danny, alright?
GhostWatcher: Alright.
Better head to bed.
Big day tomorrow.
Goodnight everyone!
GhostWatcher has logged off.
JazzyTime: I'll be joining him in slumber.
Goodnight guys!
JazzyTime has logged off.
NightwingFan: See you tomorrow Danny!
Video call me around lunch!
Mousegirl15: Would you be able to record lessons?
I and a few friends of mine would like to better defend ourselves.
NightwingFan: We'll talk about that later.
The Next Day
Danny quickly flew across town with a bag full of water bottles, a change of clothes, and energy bars strapped over his shoulder. He also had the Fenton Thermos in the bag just in case a ghost decided to attack. He was prepared to change his life for the better, starting with this training. He touched down as he came upon Tucker's home. It was a modest single-story house with a small front yard.
The back yard was much larger from what he remembered, but it had been a long time since he'd been to the place. The day he stopped coming marked the start of a long month that he couldn't see Tucker. To this day he still has no idea why, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He turned back to normal as he walked up to the front door. He was thankful that he did as he was just out of view of a security camera.
"They must really hate surprise visitors." Joked Danny to himself. He walked by the camera, feeling its eye constantly on him. He approached the front door, giving it a knock. "Hello?" He heard the door unlock a few times before it opened.
He was met with a woman with the same complexion as Tucker. She had short black hair and violet eyes. She wore a purple dress, pearl earrings, a golden wristband with a cat symbol on it, and black flats. This was Angela Foley, Tucker's mother. She smiled at the sight of Danny.
"Danny!" greeted the woman. "It's been so long since you've come over. Please come in." Danny smiled, happy for the friendly interaction. He walked inside, making sure to adjust his bag.
"Thanks for letting me come over Ms. Foley." thanked Danny. "We don't have a lot of space for this at home. Plus my parents wouldn't understand why I'm doing this. Is it really okay for me to be doing this here?" Angela chuckled as she shook her head.
"There's nothing wrong with a young man learning how to defend himself. There's a saying on my side of the family: a warrior that fights without wisdom is doomed to fall on his own blade. As long as you use this training wisely you're welcome to use our backyard as long as it's available." Danny nodded his head in both understanding and acceptance. Tucker soon entered the room, rubbing his hands as if he used moisturizer.
"Hey man!" greeted the geek. "Nice to have you here! Dad's at work but he says whatever Mom says is okay with him. Let me show you around." Danny quickly followed his friend, taking in the scenery.
He happened to note that they have a lot of cat and rhino décor. They had a few things when Tucker was younger, but they must have gotten a better budget since then. There was also a mural of a rain cloud hanging on a nearby wall, a rather nice piece if Danny said so. They soon reached the back yard, which was actually rather spacious for a small house. Danny set up his computer on a nearby table, making sure to have the camera away from the house.
"And with that I'm set up." Said Danny. "I really appreciate you guys letting me do this back here. I'll try to keep it on the down low. I'd hate to bother you guys." Tucker waved him off with a smile.
"Don't worry about it man! I'll probably be exercising out here too. After seeing Dash round on Sam I kinda wanna do my part too. I might follow along with your lessons or ask Nightwing myself." Danny smiled as he nodded his head.
"I'm sure he'll let you join us if he thinks our training will match up. I'm about to start the call so you can stand over there." Tucker hummed as he rubbed his chin.
"I'll have to go get changed if I'm joining you. Which reminds me, you'll probably want to get changed into your exercise clothes too. Don't wanna come home with your normal clothes looking sweaty." Danny hummed as he looked down to his shirt. He quickly ran to the restroom, switching to his gym uniform.
He returned to find his computer in the same spot, some waters and snacks on another table. He took a quick nibble at a pretzel before he began typing. He quickly came to a stop before sending the message.
GhostWatcher: I'm ready Nightwing.
FYI Tuck sounds like he wants to join us.
Be prepared for his freakout.
NightwingFan: Sure thing buddy.
Not the first time I meet a fan.
I'll be starting the call soon.
Danny smiled as he did some stretches beforehand. His gym teacher made sure that the whole class knew the basic stretches so that they could get the most out of the activities, but Danny never really appreciated this until now. He was in the midst of toe touches when the call sound cried out. He finished his stretching before walking over to the computer. Steeling himself, Danny pressed accept on the video call.
It took a bit of buffering, but the connection was finally established. As soon as the other end of the call was displayed, Danny came face to face with Dick. A stare down happened between the two guys, a form of shock in their minds. Danny couldn't help the strange form of familiarity he felt when seeing Dick this close for the first time. The secret Titan chuckled as he shook his head.
"Oh my gosh." Began Dick. "You meet Bruce's adoption standards." Danny tilted his head in confusion.
"Um… adoption standards?" asked the ghost boy. "What's that supposed to mean?" Dick sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.
"There are certain things that make Bruce want to adopt a kid, officially or otherwise. Black hair with blue eyes, a traumatic event, bad at home situations, unbelievable determination, and orphans. If you meet at least one of these standards, you're on the list. You look like one of my brothers and your parents will do something bad if they find out your secret, which isn't harmful at all." Danny mulled it over in his head before chuckling at the odds.
"Yeah I guess I do meet two of those standards. Guess if crap hits the fan I have a place in Gotham." The duo laughed at the humor, a strange wave of calmness washing over them. "Anyway, nice to finally see you face to face… Well face to screen." Dick nodded his head in agreement.
"Same man. Is Tuck coming or did he change his mind?" Danny was about to answer when the back door of Tucker's house opened. The geek walked out in the same uniform as Danny, only he was wearing arm and leg warmers. He rounded the screen with a massive grin.
"Is Nightwing on yet Danny?" asked Tucker. "I wanna get my inner warrior on and…" The boy suddenly sputtered at the sight of Dick, taking a few steps back. "DICK GREYSON!" Dick chuckled as he nodded his head.
"Hey Tuck. Nice to finally meet you." Tucker quickly regained his composure as he cleared his throat.
"Nice to meet you too sir. I'm Tucker Foley. Gah! Too formal." Dick laughed heartily as he shook his head.
"One, I'm laid back so there's no too formal with me. Two, don't call me sir. Makes me feel old. Just call me Dick alright." Tucker sighed in relief as he nodded his head.
"Can we get on with this please Dick?" asked Danny. "The more I wait the more unsure I feel." Tucker gave Danny the "you knew!?" look as the boy backed away from the computer. Dick nodded as he too backed away from his camera. He did a few stretches himself before nodding.
"Alright. Since you're looking to start with deterring Dash, we'll start with pressure points. Now since he's a quarterback he'll be rather muscular for his age if he takes it seriously. That's why I brought in my good friend Dummy for an example." The Amity Park boys watched as he pulled out a dummy.
He quickly put his hand on the spot between the neck and shoulder. "Now the trick is to not pinch too hard. Unless someone is super-durable or sickly all humans should take the same amount of pressure to pull off this pin. Since there are two of you I'll let you practice on each other. Start out light and go from there."
He let go as he returned his attention to the camera. "When the person reacts properly, hold that pressure." The boys nodded in response.
"Alright." Acknowledged Danny. "I'll let you go first Tucker. Just please wash your hands in case that static shirt of yours left you a bit charged." Tucker chuckled as he began to put pressure on the area. Danny couldn't help but hum from the pressure being placed on him.
Maybe he should have opted out from Tuck trying it on him due to his ghost powers. As soon as he thought this, however, he suddenly gasped for air. He found himself on his knees, Tucker doing his best to keep the hold. Danny grunted as his eyes began to glow green. He grunted as his eyes glowed brighter and brighter.
"Alright I think you get the gist of it Tuck. Let him go." Tucker quickly did as told, thankful that Danny was facing away from the camera. He took a few deep breaths as he allowed his eyes to return to normal. He sighed as he turned back to the camera.
"That was so cool!" cheered Tucker to himself. "Dash will think twice before messing with me when I get this down. Of course I shouldn't go looking for fights because I know this. Mom would kill me if I did." Dick chuckled in response.
"Trust me. I may not have a mom in this household but our butler is like a good grandpa. He'll kick our tails if we make him mad enough, and I'm pretty sure he'd kill any man that comes after us in our home." Tucker gulped, knowing his dad would do the same. He quickly shook his head as he turned to Danny.
"Your turn man. Just don't pinch too hard please." Danny nodded in response before following Tucker's example. As soon as he went to touch the boy, however, he felt a shock on his hand. He gasped as he shook the attacked appendage.
"Dude!" cried Danny. "I swear if you don't find a different shirt to where you'll be able to charge a phone with how much static you have!" Tucker shrugged in response.
"Sorry man. Just try again." Danny sighed as he shook his head. He was able to begin the maneuver, pinching the appropriate area. He did his best to not squeeze too tight as he went further.
He found the spot almost as fast as Tucker did, said geek quickly turning at the pressure. Danny did his best to keep hold on the spot, but soon found himself hit with another shot of static. He yelped in pain as he released the spot.
"Seriously man! That felt like more than static! Are you even okay!? That felt almost as bad as…" Dick frowned in concern as he leaned closer to the screen.
"Almost as bad as what?" asked the secret hero. "What happened?" Tucker quickly held a hand defensively in front of Danny as he held a soft smile.
"Danny once stuck a fork in a socket and shocked himself when he was little." Lied the geek. "He's so embarrassed by it that he can't say it. He'll probably yell at me for mentioning it later but I couldn't leave you worried like that. You've already heard a lot of the heavy stuff here." Dick raised a brow, as if he was trying to discern a lie.
"Okay. Just remember that I'm here if you guys need an adult outside the situation." Danny and Tucker nodded in response.
"Oh trust me, we will." Said Danny. "Right now everything's alright." Dick nodded with a thankful smile.
"Alright. Now, I remember you saying you needed some help controlling your strength Danny. I'm going to teach you some exercises that will teach you better control. Tuck after I'm done with him we'll see what you can work with." With that said the trio quickly got to work.
Danny focused on his self-control, actually feeling more at peace than before. He felt his core resonate with his progress as he practiced some tai chi. Tucker decided to do some strength training and some dexterity as well. He wanted to be stronger and nimbler, not stating why he wanted it. They trained until supper came around, Danny staying for Ms. Foley's cooking.
One Week later
Danny and Tucker continued with Dick's training over the week. They found some surprising results when Tucker accidentally squished a tomato in his hand. Danny couldn't help but feel proud as his control was actually helping him focus more in class. Sam would still voice her concerns over Dick's intentions, but these lessened as she saw the smile on Danny's face. The two boys did their best to avoid Dash during the process, though this didn't last long.
The usual trio found themselves sitting in the cafeteria during the lunch hour. Tucker actually had a mix of vegetables and meats on his plate, something that had surprised Sam when she first saw it. Danny himself had chosen some food items that matched a diet Dick recommended for him. Valerie began to walk over to their table, earning a cold look from Sam. Danny was about to wave her over when Dash slammed his hand on their table.
"I've had enough of you thinking you're above me Fenton!" roared the blonde bully. "You think you can ignore me like I don't exist!?" Danny glared at Dash, doing his best to keep his breathing in check.
"Actually I can't." answered Danny. "You scream too loud for anyone to ignore. Plus I'm tired of you picking on everyone you think is beneath you. Get out of my face." The whole room went silent at the bold demand from the ghost boy.
"OOOHH." Gasped the lunch lady. "Someone get the nurse, 'cause that skinny boy's about to get his butt whooped." All eyes were now on Danny and the seething Dash. No one had dared to directly demand something of the quarterback, not even the teachers that actually had authority over him. Dash growled as he reared a fist back.
"NO ONE TELLS DASH BAXTER WHAT TO DO!" Sam nearly screamed as the attack flew straight towards Danny. Before it could hit, however, Dash found himself gasping in shock. He fell too his knees as Danny kept the hold on him. A kid that was standing nearby dropped his empty lunch tray on the floor at how jaw dropping the scene was.
"I warned you to leave me alone. I was fine when you would just pick on me, but you had to threaten Sam. Now we've got problems, Dash. If I catch you bullying her or any of the other kids here then I'll show you what happens when I pinch harder, got it?" Dash patted at Danny's hand repeatedly in fear.
"Let go Fenton! I'll do what you say! Just stop!" Danny took a deep breath as he tried to ignore the need to unleash years of bullying back on the blonde. He let the quarterback go, the bigger boy rushing forward a bit to get out of his target's reach.
"Good. Now go eat with the other A-listers or find somewhere else to sit. I'm tired of your face." Dash growled in anger but conceded as he walked away from the group. The students who weren't part of the popular crowd gave Danny a standing ovation as he sat back at his seat.
"Fenton rules!" cried one of the band geeks. Danny rolled his eyes as he munched on a French fry. He really didn't need all this attention on him. Valery walked past Paulina's table, sticking her nose up as a form of insult. She sat beside Tucker with a smile.
"You have got to tell me who taught you that one Danny." Requested Valery. "I've only seen that work in action movies." She looked to Tucker, noticing his increased physique that he hid in his shirt. "Look at you growing some muscle Tuck!" Tucker chuckled as Sam rolled her eyes.
"Not that this isn't a nice interaction but do you have to sit here?" asked the Goth. "Some of us are trying to eat in peace." Valery sent the girl a frown, but Danny beat her to the punch.
"Valerie is our friend and can sit wherever she wants." Scolded the ghost boy. Sam looked at him in shock, not expecting the answer. "She's proving that not every popular person is a total prick. We don't need another Billy Clark situation." Sam growled as she pointed to her crush.
"That was in fourth grade! Plus you know he was just trying to use you to get class president!" Danny growled in annoyance, only to stop and take a deep breath.
"Whatever Sam. Just please leave Valery alone on this." Danny quickly realized his plate was empty as he sighed. "Excuse me for a moment." He picked up his lunch tray as he went to return it to the kitchen staff.
Danny noticed the whispers of classmates around him, along with the awestruck looks sent his way. He was surprised that they weren't hounding him for how he took Dash down so easily. Then again it was probably the old "bigger fish" paranoia. He sighed as he placed the tray on the return station. He turned around to find Sam standing before him.
"Can we talk? Alone?" Danny raised a brow at this, motioning for her to follow him. They were now in the hallway, the only person present being the janitor. Danny crossed his arms as he looked to his Goth friend.
"Alright. The bell should ring soon, so you might wanna make this quick." Sam nodded as she took a deep breath.
"I… I'm sorry that I went too far. I will admit I jumped to conclusions much like my parents do for anything I like. We both know it's hard for me to accept new people and I… maybe tend to look for the bad when it feels too good to be true. I just worry that you'll leave us behind and…" Danny's frown slowly turned to a smile as he nodded his head.
"I did go a bit far in mentioning the list of popular kids that were actually trying to make a change. I'll apologize for that myself. I forgive you for making a stink about me and Jules 'flirting' but I still mean what I said a week ago. If Mouse and Nightwing ask me to bow out over the flirting thing or Bee's journey, I'll respect their feelings on it." Sam sighed as she looked down with a frown.
She couldn't help but look up as Danny placed a hand on her shoulder. "One thing I want you to get out of your head is that I'll never leave you just because I make new friends. You and Tucker have been with me since I was little. Unless you do something horrible to me or one of the others I'll never abandon you guys, okay?" Sam couldn't help her smile as she nodded her head.
"Alright. Thank you for still being my friend Danny." Danny hugged Sam much like he would hug Jazz, causing the goth to blush madly.
"Anytime Sam." He pulled back just as the bell rang, Sam quickly regaining her composure. "Looks like it's back to class. Catch you later Sam!" He walked towards his next class, not noticing that Sam was now leaning against the nearest locker with a sigh.
As he was walking he decided to look at his phone, contemplating telling Dick or Nettie that he handled the Sam situation. He stopped scrolling as he looked over his message board with Juleka. He hummed as he thought back to his mother's advice. "What the heck. It's not like I'll find anything."
He looked over the message board from the very beginning, looking for any signs of flirting. He hummed as he looked over every last message. A joke here, a question there, and even a compliment that ended with a ghost holding a heart with a smile. Perfectly normal friendship messages… He scrolled back up rapidly, looking to the emoji.
His eyes widened at the sight of the old emoji. "I haven't used that one in a while. The one time I used it was when I sent that message to Paulina over a class group. When I was… No it can't be."
He scrolled through more slowly this time, quickly coming to a startling realization. He had to be imagining it. His heart beat faster as he stopped on another message.
GhostWatcher: So then I told him, "You don't stand a ghost of a chance!" Then he looked at me like I insulted his pet or something.
LadyTigress16: Lol! That's hilarious! You are so funny Danny. (1)
A compliment with a heart. "Maybe a mistype." He scrolled until he found another message.
GhostWatcher: I just can't seem to catch a break.
I'm worried that I won't pass this test.
LadyTigress16: You can do it Danny.
I believe in you.
GhostWatcher: What would I do without you Jules? (2)
"Okay, so I didn't notice the smiling emoji I sent after was blushing. I was just… being serious because she's a great friend." The more Danny tried to deny it, the more the truth showed itself to him. A heart here, a compliment there, and even a terrible joke that made Juleka laugh. He was now inside the empty classroom as he came upon the biggest blow to his denial.
LadyTigress16: I think I'm about to become an Akuma.
Some horrible girl called me Ms. Forgettable and said I should just disappear.
I didn't even know her!
GhostWatcher: That should tell you how wrong she is.
You are the sweetest, most reliable girl I've ever met Jules.
Any guy would be lucky to have you, so don't go believing a word that vrăjitoare says.
You are important to so many people, me included.
LadyTigress16: Danny… thank you.
I'm glad Marinette invited me to the server.
You've been a light on my life and I can't see my days without my best online friend.
GhostWatcher: I assume Rose takes your best friend spot?
In all seriousness I feel the same way about you Jules. (3)
Let's both promise to come to each other when we feel like this, alright?
LadyTigress16: Deal. (1)
Danny nearly dropped his phone in realization, his face blushing brighter than a redlight. There was confessions of importance, compliments that would normally just be seen as truthful statements, and heart emojis littered in this bit. He was so caught up trying to cheer up his tigress that he didn't even notice he was flirting… His tigress. Danny flopped into his seat, his blush dying down as he could only think of two little words.
"Uh oh."
Inkaliber: And done! Here's chapter 18 for your viewing pleasure. Sorry it took so long to get it out. Holidays were around the corner and I was focused on spending time with my folks. Of course we had a Christmas party here in the studio too.
Meowth: I got a scratching post and a new set of tools! Thanks for the tools kid!
Sabrina: You keep saying that! I've said you're welcome five times now. You silly cat.
Meowth: What can I say!? You're a great Pokemon trainer.
Sabrina:… But you're a wild pokemon.
Meowth: Uh… right! Of course. Completely forgot that.
Inkaliber: How about we talk about this later. I've got to close out the chapter.
Sabrina: Sure. Come on Meowth.
Meowth: Coming kid!
Inkaliber: Well that's gonna be a lot to unpack later. In any case, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like Danny stopping Dash with a pressure point? How about Valery joining the in person friend group? And how about Tucker's introduction to Dick? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to get back to you ASAP. This is Inkaliber, signing out.
1: A heart emoji
2: A blushing smile emoji
2: The ghost emoji mentioned earlier