Behind Blue Eyes
I don't own Danny Phantom, but man I wish I did.
I bet everyone is super surprised right now, huh? I hope there's anyone who still reads this. I have a lot more to say, but I saved all the juicy stuff for the longer authors notice at the end of the chapter. For now, as always, read on, readers!
Three days.
Three days had passed since Valerie's phone had gone straight to voicemail and left Star feeling more alone than ever. Five days had passed since anyone had seen or heard from Danny Fenton, leaving Star feeling more and more like a nervous wreck. Tucker and Sam continued to pretend to be passing messages between him and his teachers and calling his parents every night with a different excuse to sleepover.
Star felt a sickening twist in her stomach at the thought that either of his parents could not notice their son was missing for what was going on a whole week now. She hoped his home life wasn't like this all the time, that this was just a busy week for his parents or something. That on an ordinary week, they would've questioned their sons whereabouts after so long. But she couldn't say for sure, and Sam or Tucker didn't seem very surprised with their reaction. In fact, as she found out that day, they expected it a little too well.
Danny, Sam and Tucker were so prepared in case of an emergency like this one that they had recordings of Danny's voice. They used it mainly on his parents, if either of them asked to talk to him, but the possibilities were nearly endless. As prepared as they were, Danny might've been able to remain missing for months.
Star didn't know if she could handle that.
Paulina texted her asking if she was ready to apologize yet, but Star just ignored her. She was in no mood to play Paulina's stupid games, regardless of what the other girl would do at school tomorrow. She had already made Kwan dump her and replaced her spot on the cheerleading team, so she really had nothing left to lose at Paulina's hands. That was why, as she strolled into school the next morning, she didn't expect it to be an eventful day. Just another day in the rut she had found herself in all week long suddenly a part of a select group that seemed to only be waiting around for Danny Fenton to make his miraculous return.
Her weekend had been spent third wheeling Sam and Tucker, as they answered her questions more and more and tutored her in the basics of their ghost equipment. She wasn't allowed to use any of it yet, they said, but it helped to know each weapons capabilities. Jazz came sometimes, which always made Star feel a bit more seen. Jazz had a knack for not leaving the room until everyone in it was in a better mood than when she entered; very appreciated in times like this. In between those instances she repeatedly tried calling Valerie, despite the lack of responses she received.
In Monday's Spanish class, everything continued as was her new normal. She spent the entire class glancing over at the door, as if expecting Danny to stumble in any minute with borderline pathetic excuses and pointedly ignoring Paulina glaring at her. She waved to Sam and Tucker now, in the hallways. She was the only person they would look at. They stared at everyone else with glassed over eyes and steeled expressions, desperate now to keep their façade up and not show their worry.
It wasn't until Lancer's English class that the mundane was broken. For the first time in over a week, the ghost alarm went off.
The second the green lights flashed through the classroom Star practically felt Sam and Tucker jump out of their seats, their reasons totally different from the masses flooding the hallway already. She couldn't help but sneak a look back to where they still sat, uniformly on either side of their missing friends desk. They seemed both excited at the sound and reluctant to follow any procedures, but both seemed to be trying to keep calm for the others benefit.
Star was in the middle of the line being escorted out of the building by Lancer, with Sam and Tucker bringing up the rear. She was wondering where the ghost was, as the alarm usually only activated if a ghost was inside the walls of the school unless manually pressed. No sooner than they were all gathered on the lawn of Casper High was Star's question answered.
A loud thud gained the attention of the group. Meters away from the evacuating students had landed Vlad Plasmius on his knees, hunched over, and hiding inside his cape. He was barely visible under his cape hiding his shaking frame.
Plasmius tilted his pale-blue face upwards at the roar of screams that tore from the crowd, red eyes zeroing towards two students.
"Daniel- "He choked out. His voice sounded hoarse, like he hadn't used it recently. Or used it too much. Star only just noticed the state of the ghost. Purple bruises forming on his blue skin, clothing ripped and torn in a messy way never seen from the uppity ghost villain before- not even after the roughest of fights with their ghostly protector.
"You better tell me what you did with Danny right now you psycho-obsessed motherfu- "Sam marched toward the downed ghost without fear. Even Lancer could only hesitantly step after her in his attempt to bring her back, wary of invading the personal space of such a powerful ghost.
"No," Plasmius cut her off through his cough. Star watched with rapt attention, as did the rest of their class. "Danielle." He rolled over and exposed the huddled form of a child underneath him.
She was in rough shape too, and there was so much green on her form that Star was immediately concerned for her wellbeing. She noted idly that the ghost girl, Danielle, bore a striking resemblance to Danny Phantom. Did Danny know her? Did Sam and Tucker?
Evidently, they did, because Tucker charged straight through the crowd next and knelt down next to the two ghosts, pressing a hand to Danielle's cheek.
"She's not doing well, something interfered with the stabilizations bonding agent. She longer she stays ghost the quicker she'll destabilize." Tucker said, glancing around. Sam asked the question with her eyes that nobody else understood, even Star, because Tucker just shook his head. "She can't, she'll die quicker. The only thing keeping her this alive is her ghost healing."
Sam turned to Plasmius again, now sprawled out on his back.
"You absolute- "She practically growled, only to be cut off again by a shake of the ground.
The ground shook violently, as did everyone on it, as the sound of eerie moaning filled the air. Painful howls and quiet groans alike flew threw the air and shook the students to their core. Even Plasmius, Sam and Tucker did their best to look unaffected, but it was there. The sound was unmistakable.
Danny Phantom's Ghostly Wail.
The source was far, very far away, but the impact could be felt throughout the whole city. Grounds shook, water splashed, heads turned. The voices of the dead filled the hearts of the living all across town, striking everyone with a sense of despair. None more than the group of teens that bore witness to the scene before them. Vlad Plasmius, one of the most powerful ghosts around and known enemy of Danny Phantom, seemed like he was running scared for his afterlife while cradling a girl Danny Phantom look-alike.
Doubly so to the few people who knew more than most. Star was beginning to become very concerned, even with how little she knew about Plasmius specifically. Sam and Tucker were on a whole new level of frantic and concerned now, speaking almost entirely in quick words and phrases as they looked from each other to the two, almost unconscious now, ghosts.
"Great Gatsby, what is going on around here?" Lancer asked as the Wail subsided. Everyone looked at Sam and Tucker, still firmly planted by the ghosts sides. Sam only offered a glare in return.
"I'd really like to know that myself." She said. "Where is Danny? What happened to her?"
"I- "Plasmius started but coughed again, spitting out ectoplasmic blood. He was cut off too, by another round of the Ghostly Wail.
"And why does he keep doing that?" She grilled further.
"Tuck? Sam?" A new, smaller voice asked. Star looked down at the ghost girl half cradled in Tucker's arms. "Why does it hurt? Where's Danny?"
"This is bad, we need to get her some help." Tucker said.
At this point, a crowd had started to box around the scene to watch it unfold. Nobody expected the Goth and Geek of all people to be so comfortable with a couple of ghosts, especially when the whole crowd was set on edge. Lancer, the leader that he was, tried to step forward again.
"I think it's time you two gave some answers." Lancer said, putting on his best teacher voice.
"I think it's time to go. Can you teleport?" Sam asked Vlad, seeming to notice the crowd for the first time. He nodded. The ground shook again, the sounds of death filling the air. How strong had Danny gotten? "Go, straight to the Opps center. Jazz is there now."
Plasmius vanished in a puff of pink smoke as Sam turned back to Tucker and Danielle.
"Frostbite. We have to get them to Frostbite." Tucker said, standing to lift Danielle. She nearly screamed in protest.
"What about Danny?" She nearly let out a wail of her own. Sam and Tucker both hesitated.
"Danny can take care of himself a little longer. The priority right now is you." Tucker decided. Danielle groaned in what seemed like protest but couldn't maintain it very long.
Star had to admire his resolve. He had to be just as concerned about Danny as the girl, if not more, and even say that probably hurt him. It was like saying they weren't looking for him, thinking of him. She almost thought she'd be angry for one of them to so easily dismiss the girls concerns.
But looking at the state she was in, she understood.
"He'd tell us to do the same thing we're telling you and you know it." Sam paused, glancing around. She put on her best steamy glare and cleared a pathway. "Let's go."
"Hold on just a moment," Lancer started. "I think you should," He started but Sam quickly cut him off.
"All due respect, I don't care what you think right now. The Ghost Alarm went off, we're done for the day and even if we weren't you couldn't stop me from leaving." She said. "Tuck, go."
She held her position a little longer, in case Lancer had anything else to say while Tucker began to move away from the crowd. Star thought that was it. That they'd both leave, but Sam found her eyes in the crowd.
'You coming?' They asked silently.
This was the start of the silent conversations she was sharing with Tucker all week. Simple, but big and obvious things. This was where the trust was earned, and friendships carved. She didn't reply with her words, but with her legs instead.
Star ran past Kwan. She past the phase where she needed to be attached to a boy.
Star ran past Dash. She past the phase where she felt the need to bully others for being different, or to boost herself up.
Star ran past Paulina. She past the phase where she let someone else control all her thoughts, feelings and emotions.
She wanted to be free, she wanted to grow up just a little now. She wasn't eager to own a home or pay taxes (or save the city and fight otherworldly monsters, but she figured she was safe from that responsibility], but she was ready to own her own actions.
Star answered with her legs and caught up to Sam and Tucker quickly. She pulled her keys out, turning to Sam.
"Good thing I borrowed the car today, huh?" She said, trying to keep her nerves in check. It was what she had seen Phantom do countless times.
"I love you." Sam's reply came swiftly.
Star drove, Sam rode shotgun while Danielle took up most of the backseat. Tucker squeezed himself against the door, giving her the most space he could while looking over her, glancing between her and his PDA.
"Checking medical records." Sam told her. They were getting better at silently communicating, Star supposed.
That was how the rest of the car ride went to FentonWorks. Silence. An eerie silence.
Except for the next Ghostly Wail that rippled through the town.
Hey guys! Boy am I ever so sorry to do this to you!
If you noticed I said in the last chapter I changed the blueprint for the story, right? It became something totally different than what I had in mind. Okay, I'll work through it. Trigger Warning ahead: Suicide.
Que 2020, and when I tell you it was the worst year ever. My best friend killed herself that year, and it's been really hard ever since. I bounced back a little, but writing has been hard because she used to love to read everything I wrote. For a while I couldn't even open word without bawling like a baby. Not to get too deep about it, I've been trying to make a comeback.
I've been writing on my alt-account that I use when I publish under the Pokemon fandom, Tony2Shanks, here on . But I'm gonna be so honest I forgot about this story forever, and then when I did remember I had completely forgotten the blueprint of it I had reworked for it!
So I had no idea where past me had been intending to take this story. It bugged me to no end because I really, really liked it and it made so much sense to me then. But it eludes me to this day. Until today when I was clearing cache on my browser and logged back into this account to see everyone who has read this story and left a review between 2020 and today telling me how much they enjoyed where it was going.
I decided to hell with what I had planned, the least I can do is give these wonderful people AN ending! So I think I have SOMETHING planned, but I don't know if it'll be better than whatever past-me had so sorry if it's not what you expected or if it falls a little flat!
That being said, I've been recently re-invigorated in writing and Danny Phantom. My first priority is a Pokemon rewrite fanfic right now (it's called With Courage I Will Face by Tony2Shanks if you want to check it out!) but I hope to conclude this story very soon and give you something else to enjoy!
I've been in talks with someone about adopting another authors abandoned fic as well that I've been interested in continuing for forever, so maybe you guys will see that soon! Anyways, thanks to you all for being so wonderful and amazing and patient. You guys are THE reason this fic is finally getting an ending, I hope you all enjoy it!