A/N: I KNOW I TOOK FOREVER TO UPDATE BUT IT'S A LONGER CHAPTER SO WHEEEE!
Okay, so some of you will be familiar with what Val's talking about further down. This is because not everyone reads the Oneshots, so I apologize if I'm constantly reinforcing things I've already mentioned.
We have votes for: Turquoise Calligraphy, Library Love, Brainy Author, and Poetic Insight. What if we combine the two most popular names, Turquoise Calligraphy and Poetic Insight? Insightful Calligraphy? Turquoise Poetry? More on JazzxGW below!
Chapter #13: Jungle
"Valerie!" Danielle grins, leaping into the Huntress's arms, "How've you been?"
"Pretty good," she replies, "You?"
"School sucks. So do ghosts," she snorts, earning a hearty laugh from the other girl.
"Sounds about right."
"And it's all Danny's fault."
"Always," she grins widely, "So, besides the requisite awfulness, how's school?"
Dani shrugs, "It's school, I suppose."
"Any friends?"
"Not really," she answers, "I wouldn't say I'm unpopular, but…people tend to avoid me," she finishes quietly.
Val worries her lip, "You're pretty cool, though. I imagine you're good at sports – you're not hiding it like Danny, right?"
"Nope," she shakes her head, "I'm always among the first pick for gym. It's just…they seem to like me fine, but everyone keeps their distance. They can sense it, Val," she shrugs, "that I'm different. You feel it too, don't you?"
She sighs, sitting on the couch, "There is this feeling around the two of you," she admits, "Sometimes, you just hear this little voice in the back of your head telling you that…that you're not supposed to be here – not in a 'we don't want you here'-way though…it's…" she takes a deep breath, "It's the same way you feel at a zoo. You love watching the tigers in their enclosure, but there's a part of you remembering that they don't belong there – they belong in some jungle somewhere, hunting freely. It's like that, I guess."
"So where's our jungle, Val?" Danielle questions soberly.
"I don't know, kiddo," she laughs, tugging lightly Dani's black ponytail, "You'll have to find it someday."
Dani cracks a smile, "…Oh, actually, I do have one friend…maybe? Kind-of?...if Danny didn't traumatize him?"
"Oh?" she raises an eyebrow, "him, huh?"
"It's not like that," she pouts, "Geez, Mad–Mom reacted the same way!"
"Getting used to calling her 'Mom', huh?"
"Danny corrects me every time," she admits sheepishly, "I'm…working on it."
"It'll get easier," Valerie assures.
"It's just…" Danielle shifts uneasily, rubbing at the back of her neck, "What if they change their minds, Val? I…I'm a freak made in some laboratory. I'm a clone of their son made by his arch-nemesis! I…"
"Dani," she frowns, planting her hands firmly on the halfa's shoulders, "Look me in the eyes and tell me that the Fentons seem like the type of people to change their minds. You have Fenton DNA, so tell me – would you change your mind?"
"No," she admits.
"See? Nothing to worry about. The Fenton family is a stubborn bunch. I think Maddie's enjoyed teaching you, and Jack just loves having another princess to pamper."
Maddie stares down at the forms sleeping on her couch, her eyes ringed by shadows and verging on tears. It's late, the only light coming from the kitchen, where Tucker rummages for a midnight snack.
"My babies just…they grew up so fast, Valerie. What choice did I give them? I spent all my time in the lab after Jazz turned ten or so. I told myself it was for them, that if Jack and I finished the Ghost Portal, we could live comfortably and still fund the lab. But…is that what they really needed, Val?"
"I don't know, Mrs. Fenton," she answers honestly, "They're good people, though. That's all that matters. What good will it do you to wonder about all of the 'what ifs'? I mean, what if you and Jack hadn't gone out shopping that day? What if the portal had worked the first time you plugged it in? What if it had been completely disconnected from all power sources when Danny went inside? Danny didn't grow up 'too fast' because of you, he grew up too fast because he became a teenage superhero. Need I quote Uncle Ben?"
"That doesn't excuse Jazz," she whispers, "I left her to pretty much take care of Danny when they were younger."
"Eh," Val shrugs, "She's the first child. Normally, we're royally screwed up, but you seem to have done a pretty good job."
"Thanks, Val…" she smiles tiredly, "Now go and make sure your boyfriend stays out of the ice-cream. I need that for tomorrow."
"Roger that, Mrs. Fenton."
"So, anyway, spill it," Valerie grins, "Tell me about this guy who might be your friend and might have been traumatized by your brother."
"Danny's overreacting."
"Is that supposed to be new, somehow?"
-BREAK-
"Well, Tuck, welcome…to Hell," Danny mutters through his grin.
"Nice way to refer to your wedding, man," he snorts in reply.
"It's the planning. You and Val should just elope."
"Dude," Tucker hisses, "That's a long way away. We might not even…I mean, we could always break up."
"You'd get back together," Danny shrugs – as much as he can without earning an angry grumble from the French tailor running around his body with pins, "And you wouldn't be the one to break it off. Val might call it quits in a fit of anger, then decide to try other people to stretch her wings a bit…and then she'd call you up and suggest that you get a coffee, for old times' sake. Then you'd start dating again."
"…I can't believe you've given it that much thought," he chuckles.
"I haven't. Discussions with Alex and Jaden can be pretty insightful. They're really good at reading people. They should create a website and get rich."
"Speaking of those two, I hear you told them?"
"Yeah. It was that or let them die, Tuck," he whispers, "They'll keep quiet."
"Alright. How did Sam take it?"
"I wasn't sure I was going to survive that mental lashing. I sat under a tree in the park for three hours with a massive headache."
"You're so whipped – ow!" he begins to laugh, only to be poked with a tailor's pin and assaulted with an angry string of French.
"Yeah, and I'm oddly okay with that," Danny sighs.
Tucker just shakes his head, "So…I hear Sam and her mom have finally agreed on a dress – so long as it has a color change?"
"Yeah," Danny nods, "Thank goodness. And Sam's taking the bridesmaids to scan through a few dresses – she has some in mind, but she wants their opinion."
"We seem to have it relatively easy, Danny," Tuck chews his lip, "I mean, we just have to wear a tux. It's pretty simple."
"Just never tell that to Pam," Danny groans, "She'll lecture you for an hour about different lapel and collar styles and what's 'in'. Just…don't."
"Got it."
-BREAK-
"So, thankfully, Mom's at home, sleeping off a headache," Sam grins, "So we get to go look for dresses by ourselves."
"Hallelujah," Dani comments.
"No kidding," Val snorts.
"You have no idea how happy it makes me that we're all going to check out these dresses," Jazz groans, "I got stuck in an awful one this past January."
"Yeah?" Valerie grins, "When you took the Ghost Writer as your date?"
"What?!" the rest of the car shrieks. Val grins, Jazz's mouth hanging open.
"He…it's not…" she stammers.
"It's not…?" Valerie presses.
"Does Danny know?" Sam hisses.
"No!" Jazz shouts, "And don't you dare…!" all the blood drains from her face, "Please tell me he didn't hear that through some telepathic channel…"
"No, no," Sam shakes her head, "We stay out of each other's heads, for the most part. I mean, I'm always keeping an ear to his emotions, but…anyway, Jazz…I think you have some explaining to do."
"Look at this picture first," Val smiles, passing her phone around, "Tuck and I found it on a website in February."
"Oh, wow," Sam winces, "That is an ugly dress…"
"I know," Jazz groans, her face in her hands, "Please never show it to Danny. I'll never live it down…"
"So…explain?" Val grins.
"I-I didn't invite him. Lisa – the bride – was my roommate at the time. On Christmas Eve, Ghost Writer showed up to give me a book I'd been looking for. While he's there, I decide to make him some hot chocolate and ask him some questions for my paper – we do it all the time, though it's usually at his library. Anyway, Lisa comes out while we're talking and just…invites him to her wedding! He didn't really give her an answer, but I told him the address just in case. He decided to show up last-minute and we talked for most of the reception – as Lisa had planned. She just wanted to make sure I had someone I could actually talk to, you know? So..."
"So he was totally your date!" Dani grins.
"We're just friends!"
"Crystal says: Lovebirds, lovebirds!" Sam sings.
"We are not lovebirds!"
The entire car breaks out in laughter.
"You know how well that one went last time, right?" Valerie smiles.
Jazz presses her burning cheeks against the window, "We're intellectual associates."
"Mmmm-hmm."
"Is that what they're calling it nowadays?" Sam smirks.
"I told you that it's not like that!"
"Crystal disagrees," Sam transmits, "And thinks you'd make a pretty good couple. I mean, not everyone in Amity Park knows Ghost Writer like we do, but she's read the Ghost Files that Tucker created."
"He has a file?!"
Valerie clears her throat, pulling it up on her phone, "Ghost Writer. Powers: Reality manipulation through text. Others unknown. Appearance: Grey skin, pointed ears. Short, black, messy hair, goatee. Approximately six-two. Purple coat and grey scarf. Green eyes. Core: Hot. Power Level: Estimated to be eight. Obsession: Books, Writing. Lair: Mansion/Library at coordinates…" she rattles off a few numbers, "…Threat Assessment: Low, unless provoked," she finishes, "It has a little paragraph in the 'Further Information' section. It just mentions that he's a writer and usually even tempered, though a little impulsive at times. 'An important note: Do not destroy books. Doing so aggravates his obsession and can cause a rather villainous turn of mind."
"Learned that lesson from Danny," Sam smiles, "Oh, we're here."
They pull into the parking lot of the bridal boutique, the five girls piling out of the black, four-door BMW.
"Now, we're just finding the type of dress we want," Sam explains as they make their way across the parking lot, "We're pretty sure we want pale silver as the color – any complaints?"
"Nothing comes to mind," Valerie answers.
"So the Maid of Honor has no issues. Anyone else?"
"Just nothing too shimmery," Danielle wrinkles her nose.
"I agree – no satin. Not a lot, anyway," Jazz nods.
"And Crystal's fine," Sam comments to herself.
The boutique is comfortable inside, not too hot or cold. The carpet is pale cream, the walls covered in vintage white-and-cream-striped wallpaper. An arrangement of couches rests to their right, and the reception desk waits next to a curtained doorway. Sam strides to the desk.
"Manson, party of five," she smiles.
"Ah, yes, Ms. Manson," the receptionist smiles, "getting measurements for your dress and searching for the bridesmaids today, correct?"
She nods.
"Please follow me," she takes her clipboard and escorts them through the doorway, which opens to a large ballroom, illuminated by a domed, glass roof. Dresses on mannequins are artfully arranged, along with racks of dresses, "So…any particular order today?"
"I figure we might as well find the bridesmaid dresses first, and take everyone's measurements at the same time," Sam answers.
"I agree," the receptionist – Sarah – smiles, "Aria – over by that changing room, the one with the red hair? She'll be your assistant today. If you need anything – have to try anything on, have questions – just ask her. Enjoy your shopping today."
She strides away quickly, leaving the party to browse.
"So we were thinking...chiffon," Sam begins, "It's light and easy to move in. Doesn't shimmer too much," she adds with a smirk, "Give me a minute," she glides over towards Aria.
Dani lets her eyes wander a bit, skimming over all of the white and cream gowns. Her eyes lock temporarily on the sky above. She likes the natural lighting. It makes everything feel less…confined.
I want to go flying, she pouts, it's so pretty outside!
"-on. Maybe a halter top."
"This way," Aria smiles, leading the group away.
But I'm still trapped, huh? I wonder if this is how that tiger feels, Val.
-BREAK-
"Hi, I'm Elaine," she smiles, brushing back a lock of chocolate hair, "I'll be taking your measurements for your dresses today. Now, I'll be taking your exact measurements, but we'll have the dresses made a little larger. Then a week or so before the wedding, we'll take your measurements again, pull them in as needed, and it'll fit nicely for the occasion. Now…let's start with the bride?"
Dani and the others are shuffled out of the changing stall to wait in some chairs just outside.
"…Yeah, Sarah? Oh, just send him in. There's only one group back here. I doubt they'll mind. Yes, thank you," they can hear Elaine say into her radio, "My son's here to drop off my lunch. You don't mind if he comes back here, do you? I promise he'll stay on that side of the curtain," they can hear the wink in her voice.
"I don't mind at all," Sam replies, "…if I may ask, you don't seem like you're from around here…"
"No," she laughs, "We moved here recently, the two of us."
"Where from?"
"Arizona," she answers, laughing a moment later, "I know – big change, right? We're pretty used to it. Hopefully we'll be here for a while."
"What brought you here?"
"Work. The store I was working at closed down, and it was a branch of this store, so the higher-ups asked me if I'd be willing to transfer."
"At least they like you, huh?"
They share a laugh, not hearing when the double-doors to the fitting area opens.
"Mom! I have your lun–" he freezes mid-step, his green eyes wide.
"Ashton?" her lips gape slightly.
"D-Danielle?" he squeaks.
"Wait, wait, wait," Sam brushes aside the curtain. She stands on a pedestal as Elaine finishes pinning something in place. A wide grin spreads on the Goth's face as she scans the transfer student, "So you're Ashton? Nice to meet you – I'm Danny's fiancée, Sam."
"N-nice to meet you," he stutters, taking her hand.
"Ashton, you know them?"
"Y-yeah," he nods, "Well, I know Danny and Danielle," he motions to where the halfa sits, "A-and now Sam, I guess."
"Oh, you're Danny Fenton's fiancée! Of course!" she smiles, turning to Danielle, "Thanks for helping my son out, Danielle. He's useless with maps – you wouldn't think he is, given that he's an artist, but…"
"Mom!" he hisses, his cheeks turning pink.
"Call me Dani," she smiles.
"I'm Danny's sister, Jasmine – call me Jazz," she smiles, adding with a whisper, "Sorry about my brother. He can be overprotective."
"N-no, it's fine," he swallows nervously.
"Ah, you're the guy…" Val snickers, "But seriously, just ignore Danny. The first time his older sister dated someone, he was a ghost out to steal her body for his girlfriend. He's been paranoid ever since. Don't let it get to you."
Crystal blinks in confusion.
"We'll explain it for you later," Sam assures her.
"I'm a little confused myself," Elaine raises an eyebrow, catching her son's eyes.
"I-it's nothing, really," he stutters.
"Oh?"
"Really!"
A/N: So, most people seem to be leaning towards Jazz x GW, which is good – because I prefer it too. Don't worry, though, Darren has multiple purposes, depending on how I end up writing various story elements. Now, to answer some reviews!
LotusWriter786: Yeah, they aren't what TV Tropes would call a 'Beta Couple'.
LunarCatNinja: Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out. Besides…never trust what I write until the book is finished. Let's just leave that as my advice to you.
Plot should be kicking in next chapter! YEAH! YAY for…THIRTEEN CHAPTERS OF CAST BUILDING!
EDIT: 1/19/15, 11:16 PM: There seems to be a misunderstanding here. Sam's getting the color of dress she wants. She's just trying on the same dress with the default white coloring so that they can fiddle around with getting the right measurements and deciding how to adjust the train etc., etc. After they get the info they need, they have to custom-make the dress in the right colors. Sorry for the confusion.