Yo
The group launched around a large table they'd found. You would think that such a big group would make a lot of noice, but they were all very quiet. Looking as if they were thinking deeply about something.
"So," Sheldon started tentavely, "we could have gotten these bracelets from a tourist shop."
James snorted. "Yeah, a tourist shop we found while we were at the ghostly carnival. They're gonna believe that."
"No, I think it's a good idea." Lancer nodded as he wrote it down on his spare notebook. The other one was full of notes and events that had actually happened during the trip. Right now they were making up stories to tell the people back home.
"A shop will give the ghosts a sense of normalcy," Lancer continued. "Remember we want people to start accepting ghosts as beings with morals, just like humans."
A few others nodded.
"Let's have a fight scene too." Danny sipped his milk. "I don't want civilians thinking all ghosts are good and jumping into fights."
Paulina leaned on her hand as she pursed her lips that had long since discolored. "I think the fight at the King's castle is a good place, even though it's all ruined and stuffy."
Kim nodded. "It's a good idea." She glanced at Dash. "How did you defeat him again?"
Dash blinked at the sudden attention and he blushed. "Umm...No ah. It wasn't me." He gestured weakly towards Danny. "He did it."
The humans' eyes widened and they turned to look at Danny who was trying to avoid eye contact. A few students looked unsurprised, given that they had figured that out after they had found out about Danny's secret.
"Well," Danny started slowly, seeing they were waiting for an explanation. "Dash did help a bit."
Jack leaned forward, a bit worried. "What really happened, Danny."
Danny sighed. "We don't have time for this. We need to get back soon."
A chorus of aww's and boo's echoed through the teens and Danny relented.
Valerie gave him a worried glance, but the ghost boy winked at her. "So basically me, Sam and Tucker figured out Dash, Kwan, Chelsea and Richard had gone to the castle and we went after them. Sam and Tuck on Leroy and me flying. When we got there we saw how wrecked the place was and we only saw Dash and Fright Knight." Danny raised an eyebrow at the other members of the group that had gone on their little adventure then. "We figured you guys got slashed by Fright's sword and knew the only way to get you out of there was by defeating the master himself and put his sword in a pumpkin..."
"How did you know that?" Mister Lancer stopped scribbling for a moment to look up at Danny, who smiled sheepishly.
"We had met before." He ran a hand through his hair as he blushed lightly. "But that's not important. So we started to fight and suddenly Dora busted the party, but it was still hard. I froze Nightmare so he couldn't..."
"Wait." Chelsea slammed her hands on the table. "That was you?!"
"Yes that was me!" Danny threw his hands in the air. "What did you want me to do? He kept shooting at me and the others." He continued before Chelsea could give her sarcastic advice. "Fright shot Sam and she fell unconscious. Then he shot Dora and she was paralyzed. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Valerie came in?"
Dash frowned. "She did? I remember the Red Huntre.."
"Yeah she did!" Valerie shouted out. "I mean, I did. You just didn't see me."
Danny nodded. "The Red Huntress flew in a second to help, buuuuuut she left later cause she didn't want you guys seeing her." He gestured towards the others who raised their eyebrows.
"Why not?" Andrew questioned.
"Because you would think she was stalking us or something." The others nodded understandingly albeit a bit confused.
"Wait," James raised a finger. "Doesn't the Red Huntress hate you or something?"
Danny scrunched his face up, unsure about what to say. "She used to, or at least I think she used to. We kinda made up some time ago. I don't blame her, though. I kinda ruined her life." He sipped his cup. "Even though it was an accident."
"Wait so you know who she is?" Andrew's eyes widened and Danny scrunched his eyebrows together.
"I didn't say that."
"You're not denying it either."
Danny rolled his eyes as he let out an exasperated sigh. "Can we not start this again, Sherlock?"
"Sorry."
"Anyways," Danny continued as he realized he was taking too long. "We beat Fright up. He shot me and was about to stab me. I broke his sword, making the others appear and he left cause that sucker was his favorite toy or something and is now crying in his lonely hole."
Lancer blinked at his hastily scribbled notes and sighed, knowing he'd never really get the full story from the boy.
"That was lame." Richard commented. "Where's all the pew pew's and slash slashes and the BOOM's."
Danny shrugged. "We're not here for storytelling. We're here to make up a story to tell the civilians."
The students sighed.
"Why do you keep calling them civilians?" Kim asked curiously.
Danny blinked, as if he hadn't realized he did that until the girl pointed it out. "Oh. I don't know."
Sam's lips twitched up. "He's been doing that since two years ago."
"I have?"
"Yep. You got so into your hero persona you just started calling the residents of Amity Park, or any other place with a large group of people, civilians." Sam smiled wider. "Even the ghosts, which was a surprise at first because you don't spend as much time protecting the ghosts."
Danny bit his lip. He didn't know what to do with that bit of information. "I guess I don't really see a difference between ghosts and humans as much. In both worlds have friends and people I consider family, yet both also have beings that want me dead." He grinned. "I guess both places are my home, since I'm kinda stuck in between."
The others were quiet. Danny was really more than they had ever imagined. They had trouble wrapping their minds around what the boy was and how his life was. How different it was from their own.
Maddie and Jack felt a pang in their chests. Only now realizing how far this ghostly business had reached into Danny's life and heart. He wasn't a boy with powers who fought other ghosts to keep the humans safe. He was a kid who was not only half ghost, but also half human, and who lived in two different worlds at the same time. Somehow balancing them together. No matter how hard it was, he made it work. That was what he was. A combination between the two different universes. And he lived like it.
They exchanged a smile.
Mr. Lancer cleared his throat to break the silence and everyone turned to look at him. He looked up from his book. "So we put in the whole fiasco with the ghost king, but we can't tell them Danny beat him up all on his own..."
"Why not?" Dash seemed perplexed at the suggestion. "We have to tell them how Danny totally decked the ghost of Halloween."
Melissa raised an eyebrow. "You didn't seem to have a problem lying to us about it at the dragon's castle."
"Besides," Danny chimed in. "A wimp like me couldn't have defeated even the simplest ghost."
"What?" Kwan was shocked as he stared the boy. "You totally could. You did!"
"You're not a wimp," Paulina added.
Danny gave them an incredulous glance. "I know that. But no other human in the Human Zone does. You guys thought so too until you knew what I did for a living." He chuckled. "Heh. 'Living'. You get it? Cause I'm half dead? And I do it to stay alive? So it's a double pun. Hehe."
The other students looked at Danny like he'd gone insane. They realized he was right. Some of them hadn't thought he would ever amount to much in terms of anything physical. Dash was especially thrown off. He remembered how Danny had let him lie about how they had defeated the ghost. How he hadn't even interrupted Dash as the boy made Danny look like a loser. And all the times at school...
Suddenly he paled. Boy, he had a lot to make up for to Danny and his two friends.
Lancer only nodded, having guessed Danny would not want to gain attention to himself like that. He'd seen how Danny had slowly made an artform out of blending in in the background and not standing out. It wasn't just by miracle that nobody had seen the boy's scars or the light muscles or how powerful he was. The teacher was proud to have a student like that. He looked back down at his writing. "I think it's a good idea to use Dash's made up story, since that is what we would've thought the real story was until Daniel told us just now." Everyone nodded and he smiled, writing down the basics of the story. When he was done he read his notes out loud. "So far we have the highschool, the pirate ship of the kid that just wanted to play dress up, we are skipping the hunter, we will account the whole story about Princess Dorathea to show how ghosts have a type of monarchy and we will add the children sneaking off to the dark castle and Dash defeating it so that they don't get the impression all ghosts are good. Oh and we stopped somewhere after being with princess Dorathea to buy bracelets at a ghostly carnival."
"Make that Ember's show." Tucker added and continued to bite into his toast.
Lancer nodded and added that.
"Yes!" Chelsea grinned. "Then I can show them the pictures I got with her!"
"We got pictures of her concert." Dash stuck out his tongue.
"Well I got selfies with her and the band." Chelsea stuck out her tongue and Dash pouted.
"My ears are burning," somebody sang and they turned around to see a smirking Ember McLain with her group. "Hope you're not talking about me."
"EMBER!"
The students turned around towards her as she planted a palm on the table they had pushed up against the other one. "Hey. What are you kiddos doing here?"
"Same as you," Danny barely looked up after giving them a greeting. It was a usual occurrence to see the band here.
"So Phantom," a black haired girl smirked at Danny, "I see you're not fully dead yet. I thought for sure you'd be a goner after I heard about the prank you pulled on Technus." She raised her eyebrow when nobody even blinked at her revelation.
Danny rolled his eyes. "Vic, I told you to not go around telling my secret to everyone." He turned to Ember, who was sitting down in a table next to theirs. "I thought you would keep an eye on her?"
"Why should I?" Ember grinned. "It's funny. Besides, she didn't tell them girls when they went asking about you." She vaguely gestured towards Melissa and Chelsea.
Vic chuckled. "Yeah. Let you go for that one time. After that little stunt you pulled back at the show, well, it was a small favor to return."
Danny smiled. "So chivalrous of you."
"What stunt?" Kwan asked, but was ignored.
Melissa shrugged at the ghosts' conversation. "I guess it didn't really matter if you had told us then. We learned about Danny two hours later."
"You did?" Vic frowned and decided to sit down too. "What the heck happened for you to tell everyone?!"
Danny smirked at the chance to tease Vic. He usually didn't because darn that girl didn't hold back when she was pissed, but Danny was a reckless boy. "Is that concern I hear? Aw Vicky, I didn't know you cared."
The girl froze and looked about ready to deck the boy before Charlie interrupted.
"Calm down, Vic. Remember what Lee said. She gon' kick us out again."
Vic huffed. "She would thank me and laugh her ass off." But she sat down anyways.
Ember shook her head. "And then she'd kick us out." She signed an autograph to a ghost kid that had come asking for it. "And frankly I want to keep my coffee privileges."
"We're actually trying to make up a story to tell the people back home instead of what actually happened," Sheldon told them. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"You are huh. Wonder what y'all did if it was that interesting." Ember slushed her expresso around in the cup. "Wait. Are you going to tell them about our concert?"
The students glanced at Mr. Lancer for confirmation and he nodded.
"Good. Charlie, do you have the slips?"
Charlie smiled and dug a packet out, slapping them on the human's table. "Here. So you dudes can pass 'em out there. Everyone is invited."
"Ooh thanks."
Everyone reached out to snatch a pamphlet and saw that it was advertisement for Ember's next concert that would happen in a month and take place in the Ghost Zone. Then there were a few directions to the concert on the other side.
Danny pursed his lips at the invitation. "You do know we're not coming back to the Ghost Zone if we can help it right?"
This revelation brought protests up from the students as they complained about how they had promised their friends to visit.
Jack and Maddie exchanged a look before they turned to their son. "Actually, sweetie." Maddie smiled. "Can we talk? Me and your Dad have decided something."
Danny frowned in suspicion. "Sure? Sam, Tuck?"
His best friends smiled wide and stood up with him to follow after his parents. They were happy to know that no matter how many friends they make or how many people find out their secret, they will always be the three amigos. Inseparable.
The little group went to a less crowded section of the store. The Fenton parents noticed Sam and Tucker, but accepted that whatever they had to say to their son, they would have to say it with those two there.
They smiled at the trio and Maddie spoke up first. "Me and Jack have been talking and we thought this trip has had a really good impact on the students. All these kids have learned a lot from this trip, as have we. We know much more about ghosts and their ways." She paused. "And especially that they don't have just one way. Every ghost is different and..."
Jack grinned. "Not all are evil!" He paused and looked like he was reconsidering that statement. "Or better yet. Not all have bad intentions. They have morals, just like us!"
The teens were smiling proudly now, but were confused as to where the adults were taking this.
"So?" Tucker questioned.
Maddie took a deep breath. "We want to organize a field trip for next year too."
Sam gasped and seemed elated by that idea. Tucker looked shocked while Danny let out an outraged 'What!'
"No, it's a good idea," Sam interrupted him. "We can show the rest of the school about ghosts and they can tell their parents and slowly teach Amity Park about how ghosts really are!"
Jack and Maddie grinned ear to ear when they heard that Sam understood.
Danny's mom nodded. "We haven't thought that far yet. The plan is to randomly pick sixteen students each year for the next few years and bring them to the Ghost Zone. We know so much more about it. We can visit friendly ghosts or show them how to fight off any attacking specter. We will spread awareness!"
"But...but," Danny stammered. "You guys almost got killed like six times this week! And I'm not revealing my secret every time to protect the lot of you. It's way too dangerous."
"You can guide us in your ghost form," Jack offered. "We will follow you and you can protect us when needed."
Danny pursed his lips, considering it. "What about the..." he smiled sneakily. "The Gays in Wax?"
The adults adopted a confused expression as the teens laughed. Danny had told Sam and Tucker about Stephanies hilarious mispronunciation.
Danny snorted. "I mean the Guys In White. They're not gonna try anything right?"
Jack held up his fist at the name. "Don't worry, Danny-boy. Those jerks aren't coming near you or any Fenton tech ever again."
Danny smiled in relief. "So basically: every year we take students on a field trip and teach them how to defend themselves, but also that there are good ghosts." The ghost boy stopped as a thought occurred him. "Can't we make another time to take the parents too? Half the school already believes there are good ghosts out there, but most adults think every thing in the Ghost Zone means nothing but evil. If we can show them..." Danny smiled wistfully as he stared at the ground. He looked like he was thinking about a long time dream that he wished would come true. "If they start to accept them, then maybe we can build a society where ghosts and humans live together." He looked at them and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm being so cheesy."
Sam smiled reassuringly and wrapped an arm around him. "I didn't know you thought like that. But it's something we can work for." She grinned up at him and he grinned back.
Tucker joined the hug from the other side. "Yeah. That will be our next goal. We can do this."
Danny felt himself fill with confidence and excitement, as if his body was up and ready to reach that goal right now. He, his friends and his family could get this done. He smiled at Maddie and Jack. "I'm in."
---------------------------------------------------------
After they had gotten back to the group and finished making up their story, everyone stacked their long since empty drinks and threw them away (some keeping theirs for memories). They said their goodbyes to Ember and her band and went back to the ship.
Everyone was now hyper and excited to get back to their homes and family.
Their ship started up and they went back to the Fenton Portal. Jack opened it with no hesitance this time and the entire ship was sucked back out of the Ghost Zone, the ghost portal closing behind them.
Maddie and Jack landed the ship gently on the ground and opened the doors.
The first students stepped out only to be blinded by flashes of cameras and almost deafened by the amount of people shouting.
News crews were clustered around the ship, trying to get a good shot of the first field trip to the Ghost Zone ever. Only to be pushed back by the crowd of worried and elated parents and family members who snatched their teen and fuzzed over them worriedly.
Jazz was waving her hands by the stairs and shouting at everyone to get out and wait outside like civilized human beings but to no effect.
Suddenly she caught sight of Danny stepping out of the ship with a wide smile on his face, and she lost control too. She started pushing people away, here eyes zoomed in on only one boy.
His eyes were sweeping the room until they landed on her and he opened his arms with a bright smile.
She slammed into him with such force it would have toppled any other person but her brother.
Jazz looked up at him. At his soft puberescent face that was almost split by the wide grin he was giving her. She laughed. "Welcome back, little brother."
Hehehehehehehehehehe
Yesssss
*Rubs hands
Yessssssssssssssss
They are back. The journey ends and yet it starts here.
Just to be clear. There is still another chappie waiting. Calm down. Don't send the army after me yet.
So this is an extra long chappie because it's a party!!!!
I have passed another grade!!
One more grade and I'm out of school. Frik yeah.
I actually have pretty good grades considering....
Now that I think about it...this is the second time I've told you guys about me passing a grade. (Remember how u told me to go study. Which chapter was that in?)
That means this book exists at least a year. About one year and a half....that's....that's pretty cool.
Anyways cya later. I expect the next chapter to be up very soon cuz I've been looking forward to it.
Thank you for being here all this time (srsly it's the 95th chapter what r u doing here)
Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeee