"Dani, it's alright.", Sam moved to wrap her arms around Dani. "It was just a nightmare, that's all... you're stronger than that... whatever is going to happen, we'll get through it, we always have.".
Dani exhaled softly, "It's...just...gods...I am usually so confident...but I need...I need to feel vulnerable...I...I don't want to lose any of them, you...Val...", and Sam replied, "I know...Let it out...Let it out, Dani...".
Dani sobbed as she hugged Sam tightly, crying and shaking, and Sam rubbed her best friend's back, glad for once that she knew how to comfort someone, even if her mother was overbearing, and her gramma was usually the best comfort, even if she hates teenage drama, she'd do anything for her best friends including just being there for them.
It lasted for several minutes as Dani felt like her other self, that 10-year-old girl who just wanted to be held and comforted, and she became better, taking deep breaths, and let go of Sam as she calmed down, "Thanks, Sam...", giving her a grateful smile.
Sam smiled, "I may be gloomy and dark, but that nightmare was rather sickening...I'm just relieved that I got to be here for you, girl. Remember, you are Danielle Fenton and Dani Phantom. You are a witty, badass, and amazing young woman! Never forget that!".
Dani gave a watery chuckle, laughing softly, "I won't...Can you promise to cover for me just for a bit? I...I don't want to wait until wake-up time in the morning...I need to see Val, just for my sake to get some sleep...", with a deep breath.
Sam smiled warmly, "You can count on me, Dani. I will do a pillow pileup...Just don't take long, eh?", and Dani replied, "I won't.", with a smile before turning invisible and intangible, turning into Phantom, and flew straight for Val's place, with a glance back to see Sam heading down the ladder into the Ops Center, and down to the house itself below.
The only thing she hadn't told Sam really, was that in the start of her nightmare, she was actually having a good dream of dancing/singing karaoke with Val in Fenton Works, in the living room, and was preparing herself to confess her feelings, and she did, and Valerie didn't seem to be mad, disgusted or shocked, just looking thoughtful with a neutral smile, and was about to say something, looking to lean in, to either kiss her or something when...Dani heard Danny's scream.
Dani flew fast to Val's place, to her window of her bedroom, looking through, to see Val seeming to be slumbering, and she came through the window, turning visible, her heart loosening with each foot she gained, closer to Val, exhaling in relief with a tear escaping to see Val's chest moving, to hear her breathing, to see her beautiful smile unmarred with blood and such.
Dani whispered under her breath, "Thank you for sticking around with me...No offense to Sam, but I wish I was in your arms instead, being vulnerable and all...", with a small smile, feeling much better by seeing Valerie in her peaceful slumber, and glanced to see a white canvas hanger, on the back of her bedroom door, realizing that it's hiding Valerie's dress.
"I promise I'll cheer you on when you're up there, Val...You'll do great...After all, you...you are the woman of my dreams...", Dani smiled more brighter, whispering under her breath, and then took a deep breath, turning around to turn intangible to go through the window, looking around to make sure that the coast's clear, though she knew everyone is pretty much asleep this far late into the night, at 2 in the morning, anyway.
As Dani flew back, she really couldn't believe half the stuff she was thinking. In some ways, she still barely knew this version of Valerie, even with the memory dreams that were trickling into her brain almost every night since the wish like a steady stream. And yet her heart fluttered at the thought of it all. Dani always did wonder if her attraction to girls was thanks to Danny, having a bit of genetic influence there.
If he was straight and attracted to girls, then she was attracted to them as well, but she shook her head at the thought. She wasn't dealing with that sort of discussion, she knew what she wanted, cloning or not.
Unknown to her, in the slightest way of Dani leaving, Valerie felt the air shift, and sleepily opened her eyes for a moment, just a brief moment to see the flash of a wispy tail in black and white, and smiled as she closed her eyes again sleepily and went back to her dream.
Dani made it back to her bedroom through her window, becoming invisible and intangible, shifting back to human as she became visible, and saw that Sam did good work of pillows pretending to be Dani in bed, seeing Sam sleeping in her sleeping bag, and smiled, refixing her pillows as she flopped quietly into bed, and fell asleep, and to her relief, had better dreams.
At 7 am, the alarm clock rang, and Dani groaned lightly, slamming it, waking up, getting out of bed at a drudge, and prodded Sam in her sleeping bag, "Wake up, Sam.", and Sam groaned, "10 more minutes...No sunlight...", and Dani responded, "Come on, Sam! And you can sleep more later as it's Friday! Come on, we can't be late to be there for Val!", as she woke up more, realizing that today is the pageant, and afterwards, the talent show.
She was thankful that she saw to wear more pajamas than usual around Sam and took out some of her clothes from her closet and dresser and headed to the bathroom to change.
Sam groaned as she rubbed her temples. "Just a few more hours, Manson...", Sam said to herself. "Then we can go back to normal... or whatever counts as normal with my life being best friends with a superheroine.", she sighed.
"So, what are you going to do?", Dani asked as she, Danny and Sam were eating breakfast. "You can't easily just pick the first person who comes up to get it over with as soon as possible.".
"Wait, isn't she just going to pick Val?", Danny asked as Sam shook her head. "No, well, I mean, I want to, but I have to be impartial.", Sam explained to him.
"Plus, if you pick Val, the rest of those girls will have your guts for dinner.", Dani teased as Sam rolled her eyes. Danny wrinkled his nose, "Sometimes I don't want to go to Casper High from the sound of it...".
Dani replied, "Afraid you'd have to, and besides, Amity High is a bit further than Casper High, and it isn't too bad, just that it happens to be randomly really popular with hauntings and such, per Sidney and all.".
Sam shrugged, "And perhaps your friends would be there with you too in Casper High, if the next generation of bullies are dumber.", with a snicker.
"Dumber than Dash, you mean.", Dani smirked, and Sam laughed softly, "True...So, you feel better, Dani? After you saw Val?".
Danny blinked, "I thought it was a bad dream...", and Dani exhaled, "It was, I just never told Mom how actually bad it was...And no, I am not going to tell you as it's a grownup thing.".
Danny pouted before sighing, "Fine, and I guess I don't want to know if it was really that bad.", and Dani looked relieved before glancing at Sam, "Yeah, much better...Thanks for covering up for me, even if it was only for a bit with a fool up of me by doing pillows in my bed, Sam.".
"No problem. And no, you don't owe me for anything last night. Just really be smarter and more careful around the two coward creeps.", Sam replied.
"Right. Need to figure out how to keep them from running... might have to make a quick run to the lab to see if Mom and Dad's got something that'll prevent those spooks from retreating. Long enough to get them in the thermos.", Dani nodded.
She then looked to Danny, "Any sighting of them on your end?". Danny shook his head as Dani sighed, "So, just me then...".
"We'll figure out something once this pageant is over.", Sam said. "Right now, let's just try to get through the day while I'm being swarmed by dozens of screaming girls, desperate for me to pick them.".
Dani agreed to that, and Danny wished Sam good luck, and Sam appreciated it as she would need it, and so, soon after breakfast, even if they would figure it out after the pageant, Dani still went to the lab, as it's better safe than nothing if they interrupt the pageant which Dani wouldn't stand for, as she wants Val to be safe and doing her thing on stage, picking up something else to pack into her space pocket next to the Thermos.
And so, the day somehow went torturingly slow yet relieving fast here and there, and once again, Dani was distracted during lunch, with the archer, who ran away again after Dani failed quickly to get the thing she picked up while she fought him hard, growing frustrated.
Valerie glanced at Sam, "Just two more hours, Sam, until the pageant, and then you will be done with the judging before you know it.", as they were again in the gym lockers. Sam sighed, "I know...Hey, since we are free from the masses, Val, there's something I gotta tell you if Dani hadn't yet...".
"Oh? Does it have to do with her looking more frenzied and tired than usual? I'm getting worried as she barely had her hand up about two times each class for answering the teacher's question or something.", Val answered, and Sam sighed, "Dani had a really bad nightmare...I had to wake her up as she was literally flashing in and out of forms...And I thought I was tired...".
"Yeah, I've noticed that too.", Val bit her lip. "Especially this past week... maybe it's just our imagination, or just the constant string of ghosts wearing her down. We go for a week or two with no ghost issues and she should be right as rain.".
"True. Skulker, Bullet, and now these gruesome twosomes and it hasn't been a full week yet. If it wasn't for school and all, I think she'd be doing much better.", Sam suggested.
"Perhaps. Now, quickly swing back to what you said, about the nightmare?", Val asked as Sam sighed. "Just one of those nightmares where everyone she knows and loves dies.", Sam gave the condensed version; any specific details would be better from Dani's lips than hers since there were some secrets that Dani told her that weren't for Valerie's ears... at least not yet.
Valerie winced, hissing, "Damn...Maybe doing it for two years already, and with us starting off in our third year...Do...do you think she's reaching her breaking point?", and Sam blinked, "Well...she kind of broke down in her mom's arms, and then let it all go in my arms when she broke down more properly...Perhaps we should do a intervention? Like we do a weekend getaway? Like maybe visiting Jazz and Tucker the town over?".
"Or we shut off the portal, just until Jack and Maddie notices, though they haven't really checked into the portal itself...", Valerie replied, and Sam raised an eyebrow, "Wait, like permanently? But there's at least a few friends like that Cujo for Danny...And we don't know if that would cause problems to their ghost halves if they can't survive long without the Ghost Zone...".
Valerie blinked before exhaling, "Good point...Maybe somehow hack the portal to close, but not to shut off, at least for a week...I can check up the Fenton firewalls and such...", and Sam smiled, "That would work...Still, I don't know if last night, it was her breaking point, or soon, as you have a point that it has been a couple of years fighting ghosts on and off.".
"She just needs the break. It wouldn't be as bad as, say, if Danny was around her age, they could easily rotate a schedule.", Val said. "Look, we'll figure something out for her; maybe she'll get her wis- er, able to catch a break and we won't have to do anything.". Valerie quickly glanced around as you never could know if Desiree was in the area.
"I hope you're right. Hopefully, this is just a one-off situation.", Sam then sighed. "Certainly know those two ghosts are just driving her further up the wall. Once I'm done judging, we focus on how to stop those two for good.".
Val nodded before hearing Dani's voice, "Are you two all clear?", and she replied, "All clear. Come down before your lunch gets cold.".
Dani flew down, changing to human form in a flip, landing on the bench perfectly, and began to eat hungrily and frustratedly, and both Sam and Val shared a glance before Sam said, "Which one?".
"Archer. Had a bit of hard hits on him, but before I could get the fricking thing out of the space pocket next to the Thermos, he ran away again...", Dani grumbled.
Val patted her back, "Hey, we will get them after this day gets over with the pageant and we couldn't care less for the talent show as Dash would probably be the worst, even if I am the judge for the boys, if Sam wanted to vote for me, but I know her.".
Dani gave a chuckle, giggling, "I needed that...Dash would think football is a talent, but come on, that's the worst thing as that ain't original!", and Sam laughed, "Gods, that's true! And hey, you got to admit that we can cheer on Val, even if I am the judge, I ain't forbidden from cheering my best friend on stage!".
Val's cheeks went pink, blushing, "Thanks, guys...At least my dress is safe down here in my gym locker compared to the school locker as I know those girls better.", and Dani smiled, "Any hint at how you're going to wear?", with anticipation and a hint of blush.
Val smiled, "Tempting to tell you, but I can't, because I'm spoiling Sam here because of judge rules.", with a chuckle, relieved that she and Sam is distracting Dani from her frustration.
"Whatever it is, you'll rock it for sure.", Sam smiled. "And have the leg up too since all the other girls are like toothpicks for the most part.".
"Brawn and beauty, baby!", Val cheered as she flexed as Dani went red faced. "Heh.. sorry, maybe I should save that for later...".
"Sam, just make sure you're actually making it as fair as possible. Even if you pick Valerie at the end of the day, at least try to make sure you put thought into it. Might save you from some of the girls at least.", Dani suggested as Sam nodded.
"Oh, I know if I pick Val, there will be backlash for favoritism. I still don't get why Dora even picked me or anyone in the school to begin with. It's like she wants the pick to seem rigged.", Sam stroked her chin in thought. "Speaking of which, has anyone seen her since she first showed up?".
Dani blinked, "Well, I heard Lancer say that Dora is coming soon to the auditorium as she probably didn't want to bother us during class, and probably after the next class, she will probably announce and call for all the participating girls to the football field outside as we saw the stage getting set up. She's probably there to make sure that the stage is perfect and all.".
Val nodded, "Yeah, since she literally is the mind and such behind that terrible name, but still...", and Sam nodded, "Guess you're right, and it's Friday, so we can stay after school...I just hope it will be done soon enough as I just want to black out in my bed and sleep.".
Dani patted her shoulder, "You will, Sam.", and Sam smiled appreciatively, and so, they went to finish up their lunch, sneak up from the gym lockers of the girls' section, and managed through the next class between swarms of girls pleading around Sam.
Sure enough, Dora came to announce and call for all the participating girls to come to the field and follow Dora's instructions, including Val.
"Hello, girls, now it's only a couple of hours until the pageant, and of course, to fetch your dresses and be princesses before the audience, so it's up to me to groom all of you into wonderful, beautiful princesses!", Dora replied with a wide smile.
Valerie called out, "Don't forget independent and unique!", knowing that Sam would kill her if she didn't say something to stand up for the pageant, knowing her too well.
"True.", Dora said. "But of course, you must learn to forget all that when it comes to being a princess.". Val rolled her eyes. Sam would straight up put the smackdown on this lady if she was here right now, she guessed.
And so, the girls went to learn under Dora's tutelage to act and look and be like a princess, like learning how to walk dainty, balancing books while holding their head up, and a few other things.
Val knew she wasn't dainty or such but forgetting all her independence and such like that somehow rubbed her the wrong way a bit, though she has a strange feeling that Sam would be even worse.