Danny stretched after his chat with Malina online. She was pleasant to converse with, especially since she had a sister similar to his own. However, her sister was quite different from Jazz. Checking the clock, Danny was pleased to be finishing at a more reasonable hour. He decided to grab a bite to eat before starting his patrol. As he headed downstairs, he noticed his sister, Jazz, engrossed in a book he never expected her to read.
"Jazz? Are you reading a lesbian book?" Danny inquired, catching her off guard.
"No! It's for research!" she exclaimed, her cheeks reddening.
Danny rolled his eyes, suspecting her true intentions.
"Is this related to the two girls dating at school?" he probed.
"No, they just remind me that I need to be open to new ideas. I'm familiar with traditional couples, but I know very little about same-sex couples," Jazz explained.
Danny sighed, walked past Jazz, and grabbed a pop-tart.
"Tell Mom and Dad I'm hanging out with friends for a few hours. I'll try to be back by 10," he instructed her.
"Sure, little brother. I'll cover for you," Jazz responded, aware of her brother's actual plans.
Danny departed after surveying the surroundings. Noticing the coast was clear, he transformed into his Ghost Form and soared upwards, munching on his pop-tart. His mind wandered to Malina and their first encounter in DOOMED. It was astonishing that she, as a newcomer, had defeated Sam, a top-ranked player. Even he and Tucker had struggled to beat her. Reflecting on it now, he wondered why Sam hadn't simply revealed she was Chaos.
"Because you never asked."
Danny could only sigh as the answer revealed itself. Even after contending with Technus and nearly winning the game, Danny sensed that Malina was more than she appeared to be. Indeed, they hadn't met in person, but her writing suggested she was an ordinary girl content with her mundane life. She found pleasure in cleaning—not to the extent of being obsessive, but she did mention her disdain for having her work disrupted, a sentiment everyone he knew could understand.
"Danny? Dude, are you there?"
Danny blinked, realizing he was standing in front of his friends who looked concerned.
"Uh, sorry guys. I got lost in thought," Danny said, scratching the back of his head.
"Is it about that new girl?" Sam inquired, one eyebrow raised.
"Sort of. I was chatting with her before I came to meet you. She mentioned she has a sister who annoys her just as much as Jazz annoys me," Danny explained.
"Malina has a sister?!" Tucker exclaimed.
"Don't get your hopes up, Tuck. From what Malina says, her sister is one of those punk types," Danny remarked.
"So, she's like Sam?" Tucker probed.
"Goths and Punks are different, Tucker," Sam interjected, folding her arms.
"Anyway, are we ready to start patrol?" Danny asked, receiving nods from his friends.
In Hell,
Malina swept her area, sighing as thoughts of Danny lingered in her mind. Despite never having met him in person, he occupied her thoughts frequently. Their conversations about their sisters were a first for her; Zdrada always knew how to push her buttons, but discussing it with Danny was helpful. She had never felt better after such talks. It seemed she might have made a friend after all.
"Come on, Malina! He's human! He doesn't even realize he's conversing with a demon in hell! If he ever found out, he'd cease speaking to you. So why bother caring?" She pondered, followed by a sigh.
'Because you were able to vent your frustration by talking to him. Whether he's human or not, you owe him that much.'
Malina groaned as she flung her broom aside and sat down. No matter how hard she tried, her conversation with Danny had stirred unfamiliar emotions she couldn't dismiss.
"What the hell is wrong with me?!" she yelled, wishing she understood her own behavior.
"Is something amiss, dear sister?"
Malina didn't suppress the growl in her throat. Looking up, she saw her sister Zdrada approaching, a smug expression on her face.
"It's none of your business!" she yelled back.
"Oh, come on. I know when my sister is upset. You can confide in your big sister," Zdrada said with a smirk, taking a seat beside her.
Malina groaned. One of the main reasons she refused to tell Zdrada anything was because she never had anything useful to say. However, her conversation with Danny made her realize she should at least try, even if it was a moot point.
"Fine, since you won't leave me alone until I tell you, I met this boy online, and we've been talking. And don't you dare say he's my boyfriend!" Malina said.
Zdrada only shrugged, making Malina regret it even more.
"We started to realize that we have similar kinds of sisters, and I noticed I've been feeling better afterward. Now, I can't stop thinking about him!" she continued.
Malina then turned to her sister, anticipating the remark she knew was coming.
"Well?" she inquired.
"Hmm, I can see why you're upset. I never imagined my little sister would develop a crush," Zdrada remarked with a smirk.
"A CRUSH?!" Malina exclaimed, her face turning red with anger and embarrassment.
"Yes, honestly, it's about time!" Zdrada responded, smiling as she pinched her sister's cheek.
"HE'S A HUMAN!" Malina yelled, catching Zdrada off guard.
"Really? That's interesting," Zdrada replied, smirking.
"UGH! WHY DID I EVEN BOTHER TELLING YOU?! YOU'RE SUCH A BITCH!" Malina yelled, storming away.
Zdrada reached for another cigarette, her smile broadening.
"I have a feeling this is going to be fun," she remarked, attempting to light it.
Back on Earth,
Danny soared above the town while his friends searched below. His thoughts often drifted to Malina, causing him to sigh. Despite never having met her, she occupied his mind frequently. He contemplated asking to meet or at least exchange photos to put faces to names. Yet, the fear of discovering she might use a deceptive image lingered—aware of the "catfish" phenomenon, he didn't want to fall victim to it. With another sigh, Danny acknowledged this uncertainty would nag at him until resolved.
"DANNY!"
He nearly slapped his hand onto his ear when a shout pierced through it.
"Jeez, Sam, can you yell any louder?" Danny exclaimed, his super hearing making it seem even louder than it was.
"I've been calling your name for the last five minutes! What are you doing up there?" Sam inquired.
"Just lost in thought again. How about we call it an early night?" Danny suggested, knowing the conversation would persist until he proposed it.
"Um, dude? Are you okay?" Tucker interjected.
"I'm fine. Just need to clear my head. I'll talk to you guys later," Danny replied, before taking off.
"Danny..." Sam started, but Danny had already switched off his Fenton Phones.
"So, want to go to the mall and charge everything to Danny's account?" Tucker proposed.
"Sure," Sam replied with a shrug.
Yet, her concern lay elsewhere. Ever since the new girl joined DOOMED, Danny hadn't stopped talking to her. Sam feared that Danny was beginning to have feelings for her.
Okay, pausing here. Danny and Malina are beginning to become aware of each other's existence, yet they haven't met. I'm brainstorming ways to transport Malina and Zdrada to Earth and would appreciate some assistance. I've acknowledged that it's okay if you can't come up with anything, but I still welcome the help. This includes devising names for the Twin Demons, the primary antagonists of the story. Once again, any help is appreciated.