InsaneJournal

Academic Nightmare
Title: Academic Nightmare
Rated: PG13 for soul-sucking fear and an inside joke
Pairing: Dash/Danny
Danny Phantom belongs to Nickelodeon and its associates. The Academic Dacathlon belongs to the USAD. The plot and villain are mine.

-----

This piece was written in January 2005. It was my first Danny Phantom fanfic. It has not been edited since then.

During the 2004-2005 year I was still a romantic little demon. My darkness was beginning to bloom but my cynicism was not yet palpable. I still believed in happy engings.

Enjoy.

-----

There he is. I lay in wait, nonchalantly leaning on some poor nerd’s locker as I watch him pass. “Hey, Fenton!”

I see him cringe at my voice. He turns to face me, an expression of resigned defeat on his face. “Dash.”

I don’t know why I do it. Instinct, I guess. I mean, the top dog is supposed to pick on the lesser members of the pack, but for whatever reason I smirk and shout at him for all to hear. “How’s life on the academic team?”

Fenton cringes as the others in the hall turn to him and stare. He seems to shrink under the jeering gaze of the crowd. I just know things are about to get ugly.

Foley the technogeek swoops out of nowhere and drags Fenton off away from the hungry vultures. I almost sigh in relief when they leave and life returns to normal.

Let me explain a few things. You see, in addition to football, basketball, track, and the dreaded golf team, we have an academic team. Ranked worst in the state. Oh they have talent, they have lots of talent but their coach sucks complete ass. I swear, Coach Merde takes young impressionable certified geniuses and turns them into hopeless, helpless zombies to fulfill some strange evil plans. Always knows who to tap, too.

I admit I was surprised when I was asked to join the team of the doomed. I’d thought I’d always hid it so well. It’s been three months since the team was chosen and I haven’t been outed yet so my secret seems to be safe.

I’m worried though. Even as a loser Fenton had life in him. But now it’s like he’s dying. He’s so pale lately and he’s the only gray-haired high school student I know. I swear there are times when I can almost see through him, especially his hands.

I want to find out what’s going on.

-----

Long after school I stop outside of Coach Merde’s office. The academic coach. I figure if I’m going to find anything out I’ll have to start here.

“Dash! Come in come in.” Merde drags me into the office. “Might you have been persuaded to change your mind?”

I look around at Coach Merde and the office. I try not to shiver. Coach Merde is the only person I know with gold eyes and a glowing crystal ball displayed on the desk. “Not quite, Coach. I’m thinkin’ about it.”

Merde clamps a pale, bony hand on my shoulder. “What must I do to make thee change thy mind?” Those eyes stare into mine and there’s the curious feeling of being sucked out of myself.

“Well I was hoping to get some of the research materials before deciding.” I attempt to look innocent.

Merde grins. “But of course.”

I’m handed a stack of books and papers covered in the academic team logo. I’m also handed a CD. “What’s in the CD?”

“Oh that’s the music selection for the year. There’s a small fuzziness at the beginning of each track, and I do apologize, but with our record I must make do with the equipment I have.”

The door opens and I’m showed out. I check to make sure the coast is clear and make a run for it before anyone sees me.

What?

-----

Once hidden away in my room I dump the research onto my bed. I collect some snacks, a bottle of water, and after some deliberation I open my closet and bring out Samson.

One of the symptoms of genius is the presence of imaginary friends well into adulthood. Sadly, I can do nothing to disprove this theory. Samson sits in my lap as I look over the research.

It takes me three hours to finish. After all, ten subjects amounts to a lot of reading. Still, all that and there’s nothing immediately out of the ordinary. Sure it’s stuffy and boring but all school work tends to follow those lines.

There’s one thing left for me to look through. I turn the volume off on my computer and slip the CD into the drive. I expect to see the normal Milkdrop visualizations but there’s something more, something terrible. I don’t see anything odd, but it’s there, I know it. I reach for the CD drive but I can’t seem to tear myself away, those… eyes? Oh my god, the Eyes!

The sound of my own scream pulls me out enough for my hand to fly to the disk drive and eject the CD. The fear disappears as the error message comes up.

I take a few breaths, relieved at the end of it. I feel odd though, like the feeling Coach Merde always inspires. But that’s impossible. Life can’t be sucked out through people’s eyes, can it?

-----

I’m pounding on the door to Foley’s house before I know it. His Dad answers. “Can I help you?”

“I need to talk to Tucker. Can I come in?”

Mr. Foley opens the door wider. “Dash Baxter, hello there! Not everyday the high school football hero comes knocking on my door.” He leads me in.

What is it with Dads and football? I mean, yeah I play it but I don’t live it. I do have other things I want to do with my life. Even so, I sit through a half hour discussion with Foley’s Dad about Casper High’s latest win and his own experiences with football when he was a kid.

Thankfully I break away. “I really need to talk to Tucker. About Danny.”

Foley’s Dad looks thoughtful. “Danny, yes, something’s been off about him lately. So depressed. I heard he’s on the academic team; you’d think some solidarity would help his self esteem.”

I pat my jacket to make sure the CD is still there. “Yes, and I need to talk to Tucker about it.”

Foley’s Dad finally says something useful. “Upstairs, second door on the left. Now where were we?”

I’m gone and up those stairs before he can drag me into another jog down memory lane.

I don’t even bother knocking before opening the door. “Foley, I need to talk to you.”

Foley’s on his computer playing Doomed: The Final Mission. Good game, but I always get beaten by this guy named Chaos something or other. He’s deep in the game, ears buried in headphones. Heh, he doesn’t know I’m here. I sneak closer and check the screen. FryerTuck. Wait… “You’re in league with Chaos?!”

Foley turns to me and screams. He’s so distressed he doesn’t care when some newbie frags his ass. “What are you doing here?! What do you want?!”

I clamp a hand over his mouth. “Quiet. Or else.”

Foley squirms. He looks to the door, still ajar. I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. “Tucker? Dash? You alright in there?”

I pull Foley close. “You will tell him everything’s fine. Then I need to talk to you, maybe acquire your services. After that I’ll go away and this will all be a bad dream. Got it?”

He nods as I pull my hand away. “Everything’s fine, Dad. Dash just caught me in the middle of a game.”

Foley’s Dad stops outside the door. “Shall we let you finish your game then?”

“No!”

Foley repeats my outburst. “No, that’s ok, Dad. We’re fine.”

“If you’re sure…”

I stride to the door and open it enough to give Foley’s Dad a proper send off. “We’re sure. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have things to discuss.” I didn’t slam the door, really. “Now, to business.” I pull out the CD.

Foley looks at me. “Is that Danny’s academics music?”

I hold it out to him, hoping he’ll get the hint. “It’s hopefully a copy.”

He does get the hint and takes it from me. “How did you get this? Rumor has it Merde has a tight hold on these, they only go out to team members.”

I sigh. Might as well. “Merde considered me for the team at the same time Fenton was tapped. I declined but surely you’ve noticed what it’s been happening to Fenton. It’s like he’s fading.”

Foley’s sitting on his bed, staring at me.

“What?”

He blinks at me. “Merde asked you for the academic team? Are they desperate?”

I scowl at him. “Don’t you get it?! Merde’s doing something to the team! They’re all fading away but Fenton’s the worst! I swear, there are times in bright sunlight when he casts no shadow, when I can actually see through him. This CD is part of the key.”

Wow, that hit a nerve, Foley looks sick to his stomach. “W-why is this the k-key?”

I shudder. “I don’t know about you but whenever Merde looks at me I can feel my life being sucked out of me through my eyes. I stuck this CD in the computer with the volume off and it gave me the same feeling.”

Foley seems to snap back into reality. “Do you use visualizations?”

I shrug. “Just Milkdrop. And before you say anything, I’ve been using Milkdrop for almost 2 years now without that feeling.”

“I wasn’t going to.” He’s setting up his computer to match mine, visualizations and all. “Full view?”

“Yeah.” I sit on his bed, not sure I want to be standing for this.

“Good.” He plugs in his speakers and turns the volume off, then sticks the CD in.

A chill washes over me as the feeling returns. My body seizes up. There’s nothing I can do, oh please no… NO!!!

I wake up to the sight of Foley hovering over me. I push it away. “Unngh.”

Foley picks himself off the floor. “Yes, I’m fine. How are you?” He looks at me again, irritation written all over his face.

I don’t move, too tired. What on earth could do that? “Tell me you felt that.”

He shivers. “Well, yeah, I did, but at least I didn’t pass out.”

I sit up. “Hey, I’d already been exposed to that nightmare once before.” The arm holding me up fails and I fall back onto Foley’s bed. “I feel like I’ve just been drained by a vampire.”

Foley glances down at the CD sitting on the keyboard. “Mind if I keep this thing?”

“Go ahead, it’s not like I’m gonna need it for easy listening.”

He looks at me. “So what are you gonna do now?”

I successfully sit up this time. “I’ll do what I have to do. I’m going to formally join the team to try and get answers. I’m going to study the paper materials Coach Merde gave me, in case I missed anything the first time. I want to find out what this is.” I stagger out of the room.

I hear him as I leave. “Be careful.”

-----

The next afternoon I stand outside of Coach Merde’s office, change of class form in my hand. I can’t believe I’m dropping wood shop for this. I know I’m throwing myself into the lion’s den but I only hope I can stop this before--

The door flings open. It’s normal school hours; I know I’m being watched. My popularity ends now. Fenton, I hope you’re grateful. “Dash, you don’t know how happy I am that you’ve finally decided to join us! Come in, come in.” I’m ushered into my doom and the door is slammed behind me.

Coach Merde picks up the crystal ball and starts stroking it. I swear the thing glows a little brighter. “I knew you would change your mind. I’ve a slot open just for you. I know you have forms for me to sign. Today we shall get all paperwork out of the way and tomorrow I can take you in to join the rest.”

Paperwork goes by quickly enough but then Merde keeps me in the office to talk for the rest of the hour. Just listening to the words Merde doesn’t seem too weird, a little formal, but other than that Coach is almost normal. I have no idea why I suspected…

The bell rings and I mentally shake my head. I excuse myself and bolt.

The amount of time I’m expected to spend with the soul-sucking creep… How I feel at the end of only a single hour… Oh Hells, how am I going to keep my mind long enough to unravel this? I sigh in defeat and resign myself to spending more time with Foley and maybe Manson. They both hang around Fenton, maybe his genius has rubbed off on them. Besides, I need help.

I look around at the confused faces. I see word’s already gotten out.

And I see the losers are the only help I’m gonna get.

-----

As soon as night falls I’m back at Foley’s. Manson’s hanging around as well. I’m sitting on his bed, head down as the two losers pace back and forth. Manson suddenly stops. “Is there any way you imagined this brainwashing incident?”

I look up and glare at her. “I didn’t imagine it. Once again, while Merde was talking I kept losing focus, felt weaker and weaker. I remember wondering exactly why I’m so worried about Fenton, about anything. And when I was at my weakest that cursed crystal ball glowed the brightest. Then the thing would fade and Merde’s eyes would glow. They fucking glowed. Then the crystal would start glowing again. It was like a fucking loop. I’m telling you, Merde’s some kind of soul-sucking monster!”

Foley looks at me weird. “Curs-Ed? Don’t you mean cursed?”

Manson stops pacing and gets this thoughtful look. “Or a soul-sucking ghost.”

I start. “Wait, a ghost?”

Foley snaps to attention. “Yeah, a ghost that sucks energy out of people, just like Ember!”

I’m missing something, I just know it. Something I’m not supposed to know because Manson jabs Foley in the ribs for that. “Guys, secrecy is annoying and all, but if I don’t know what theories you’re cooking, I’m not going to have any idea what to look for.”

Foley looks at me funny. “Huh?”

I sigh. “Fine, put me on a ‘need to know’ basis, but I fucking need to know what your theory is so I can prove or disprove it! If you know of something like this that’s happened before, tell me about it. We can use that knowledge to stop Merde.”

Foley opens his mouth but Manson clamps it shut. “Tucker, I know you. You don’t know the meaning of the word ‘discreet.’ You will shut up and let me handle this.” Foley nods.

I make a mental note never to trust Foley with anything.

Manson starts pacing again. “Ok. In general, ghosts exist and most of the Fenton’s ghost inventions actually work. Ember was a ghost who fed off of the idol-worship of teenagers. She was going to use that power to take over the world. The three of us, Danny and us two, took away her power and saved the world. You remember Tucker singing? That was the weapon we used to stop everyone from loving her. I mean, if Tucker singing couldn’t stop her, nothing could. Then we sucked her into something known as the Fenton Thermos, it holds ghosts so they can’t escape. And that ended it.”

I try to take this all in. “So this Thermos thing is like the trap from Ghostbusters?”

“Exactly! Only it looks less cool.”

“Have the Fentons invented Proton Packs yet?”

“Uh… That’s usually where Danny comes in.”

“Yeah! Danny’s half--” Manson shuts Foley up with an elbow to the gut. I have a feeling the idiot almost blurted out this big secret they’re covering.

“Ok, ok, there’s a big secret and it involves Fenton. Fine. I’m not supposed to know. Fine. Apparently I don’t need to know it. Fine. I’ve a feeling I’d prefer not to know. But if Merde knows Fenton’s secret and starts using it against all of us…”

Manson shudders. “If we’re correct, Merde won’t have to.”

Foley nods, having regained composure. “Merde’ll have Danny’s abilities anyway.”

I lean my head on one hand. “And I predict Fenton’s secret is that he’s half ghost or something.” I pause. “And I see from your horrified expressions that I am correct.”

Manson finds her voice. “H-how…”

I get up and tap her on the head. “Merde’s tapping me for a reason. I do have the ability to put two and two together. Remember that. Don’t worry though; unlike Foley here I know how to keep a secret.”

Manson gets in my face. Wow, I’ve never seen her this pissed. “And how do we know?!”

I straighten up and glare her down. “Do you have any idea what I’ve already done? My cover is blown, my popularity is gone, my spot on the football team is probably toast, and I’m allowing some ghost to suck out my soul little by little! And I’m doing all of this because I’m worried about Fenton! Think about that. Have you done even half as much for him? Sure you’ve kept his secret, you help him fight ghosts, and you’ve probably bailed him out of minor little ghost-hunting problems, but if I’m right…” I sigh as I sit down and drop my head again. “You know what? Whatever. I’ve basically destroyed whatever chance I ever had at a non-average future to try and save him. You probably don’t understand that. I doubt you fully comprehend that. I barely comprehend it. But if you won’t help me, then fine. Continue on with your little lives. Forget your friend Danny Fenton. Let him fade into the nothingness I’m trying to prevent. Just let me try to stop it.” I sigh again and wait.

I keep my head bowed and my hands clasped as I let my words sink in. I see little more than their feet but those feet shuffle guiltily. I wipe all smugness from my face and allow myself to look up. “Whatever. I’m exhausted, I’m going to go home, crawl into bed, and die. I figure I’ve got less than a week of usefulness before Merde takes over, before enough of my soul is sucked away for me to lose sight of all importance.”

Manson whispers something. Wow, she’s crying. “What if we’re too late?”

I stand up and she throws herself into my arms. I don’t really know why until I look over at Foley. He’s in no shape to comfort anyone; he looks ready to burst into tears and into my arms. It seems I’ve become a fucking teddy bear. “Merde feeds off of people, Ember did the same, can’t Fenton do something like that?”

Foley shakes his head. “Never seen him do it.”

“Doesn’t mean he can’t.”

Manson looks up from the wet spot she’s leaving on my chest. “What if we’re too late? The others, all the others, they never recovered, they spend out their lives as mindless corporate drones, they’re dead to the world! And Danny, he’s fading so fast, you really can see through him, it’s like the human half is dying, dying…”

I wrap an arm around her. Well what would you do? “We’re not too late.”

“And you, the moment we all find out you’re not the idiot jock we always thought, you go and throw yourself away to try and save him, but it’s not gonna work and you’re both going to…”

Great. I grab her arms and give her a good shake. “No one’s going to die. We are going to stop Merde before we lose our souls. You are going to help me.” I never thought Manson was so damn fragile.

Manson bites her lip and nods. “Okay. I’ll help.”

I look over at Foley. He seems to be holding himself together. “Does she always fall apart like this?”

He shakes his head. Nevermind, he still looks like a scared rabbit. “Never seen it. Never had Danny at stake. Never been so hopeless. Never seen self sacrifice up close.”

I let go of Manson and set her on the bed. I was serious about that exhaustion. I know from watching Fenton that having one’s soul sucked out is as physically draining as it is metaphysically, but I’d hoped it wouldn’t start so quickly. “The two of you, figure out a plan, a strategy, anything, even if it’s just pointing this Thermos at Merde and turning it on. I’m falling asleep on my feet and I’ll need my strength tomorrow.”

Manson looks at me. “What happens tomorrow?”

I smile wryly. “Tomorrow is my final fall from grace.”

-----

I hold my head high and stride through the corridors of Casper High, ignoring the stares of disgust and even hatred. Only yesterday those same eyes had held admiration, hero worship, often malice but it was only some little popularity squabble. Now…

I remember what life was like in elementary school. I remember what it was like to be hated and feared because of a greater intelligence. I remember bullies tearing my books from my hands and kicking sand in my eyes when all I wanted to do was read. I remember what life was like before contact lenses, when my thick glasses and tiny body made me an easy target. I remember Fenton, the tiny little loser with the freaks for parents, my best and only friend through all those long, torturous years. I remember…

The looks in their eyes, it’s like I’m 8 years old and I’ve just earned a pat on the head for fixing Teacher’s computer again. I try to shake the feeling but it comes back. I hope it doesn’t show; once these jackals smell blood I won’t survive.

Qwan leans on the wall near my locker. His head is down. I stand in front of him and wait. He looks up at me and I nearly die at the look in his eyes. Sorrow.

He opens his mouth and nothing comes out. He tries again. “I’m sorry.”

I look him in the eye. “I know.”

His head falls to his chest and he leaves. The pack advances.

I’m going to die. They’re going to rip me apart and they won’t realize until they’re done what’s happened. My breath catches in my throat as I square my shoulders and stare ahead.

“Let him go.”

We all turn to see Fenton of all people standing in the corridor, fists clenched. No. I let the tear forming in my eye fall; maybe they’ll destroy me first and give Fenton time to run.

The crowd advances on me again and I press back into the wall of lockers, looking defeated.

“I said. Let. Him. Go. NOW!!!”

I have to watch Fenton’s outburst. His eyes are this vivid green, almost glowing. His hair’s turned pure white, not far from his normal gray but still striking. And there’s an energy swirling around him, almost like the dark energy I saw Merde collect when I first refused the team. I stare, because this is Fenton’s true form, his ghostly self. It’s disturbing.

The others are obviously torn between whom to destroy first. Unobservant, the lot of them.

I don’t know what the others see, but I know it’s there. Fenton brings his arms above his head, an expression of pure fury on his face, the energy around him growing, turning a faint green color. He loops his arms down, hands like claws, and all hell breaks loose. I swear, I can see the shock wave as it tears through the corridor, knocking the others over in writhing agony. It passes through me; the wave front is so cold it feels like fire freezing me down to the bone and I gasp in shock, and then it’s gone.

The others pick themselves up off the floor and just stare at Fenton. He’s standing there, same spot, hair still white, eyes still green, breathing hard. He casts no shadow.

The others run off to various safe havens, classes and the like. I stand and watch as Fenton glares.

And then passes out.

I run over and slip my hand behind his neck. I ignore the fact that I can see my palm through his neck, that I can barely feel his skin. “Fenton, wake up.”

His head lolls and his eyes flutter. “Dash?”

I slip my other hand under his knees and lift him up. “Don’t worry, Fenton, I’ve got you.” It’s been far too long, someone will be by soon. I need to get us hidden. Wait… I easily shift Fenton’s weight or lack thereof to one arm. “We need to hide.” I try a nearby door. “Broom closet work for you?”

“Sure.”

As soon as the door closes behind us I hear voices outside. They’re looking for us. Something about a bomb. They probably mean Fenton. The voices fade as feet run down the corridor. “That was close.”

Fenton collapses into my arms and I can feel him grow more solid, a little heavier, but not by much. “Sorry. So tired. Takes so much out of me now.”

I hold him close to me, try to warm that frigid ghostly form with my body heat. “Shh, I know. I know all of it. I’m going to try to help you.”

He looks up at me, eyes a pale green-blue. “How?”

I close my eyes and rest my forehead on his. “We think that bastard Merde’s a ghost, been feeding off of us. Even me.”

Fenton, no, Danny lays his head on my chest. “I know. Too powerful. Can’t resist. Why did you join us? You’ll fall like the rest of us.”

I bury a hand in his hair. “No. I joined so we could stop the monster.”

“Not a monster. A ghost.”

“Danny, Merde feeds off the souls of geniuses, off the minds of other people. How can that not be a monster?”

Danny curls into my chest and stays silent for a minute. When he finally speaks, his answer makes my blood run cold. “Because I do it too.”

I shiver but I hold him close. “And Foley didn’t believe me when I said you could probably do the same.”

“Most ghosts do.” He sighs. “You’re stroking my hair.”

“I know. We still have to stop Merde.”

“I know. But how? Wait, Merde’s a ghost. All we need is the Thermos and someone other than us.”

I make it a point to keep stroking. “We have two someones, Manson and Foley. All they need is the word.”

“Shall we hop to it then? I can get us all to the lab unnoticed.”

“So soon?”

I feel him smile against my chest. “No let’s wait a while.” His arms slip under my letterman jacket to rub my back lightly. I bury my nose in his hair and inhale. He pulls my t-shirt out of the waistband of my jeans. “Do you want…”

I slip a hand under his shirt and let it rest on the small of his back. “Let’s just stay like this. Comfortable.”

“Mmm.” He slides his hands under my shirt and up my chest. “Yes, comfortable.”

Terror grips me as the doorknob clicks and turns. Danny clamps a hand over my mouth before I can make a sound and I suddenly feel weird, a bit like I’m melting to become cold jell-o. The door throws itself open and Lancer glares in. I don’t even breathe.

For some reason, I don’t have to.

Lancer’s shoulders drop. “Hm. Thought I heard something in here.”

I feel the insane urge to laugh. It fades instantly as Merde walks up. “Really? Are you sure it’s empty?”

Merde stares in at us, stares directly at us, and leads Lancer away. “No, you are correct, it’s empty. Have you tried the other hall?” The door closes.

I don’t even have time to sigh in relief when the door flings open again. Merde stands there, alone. “I sense thou art here, hidden. I shall return for thee when thy safety is assur’d. Thou hath put me in a predicament awful, Daniel. I must away to find something to explain thy little outburst. I commend thee for thy defense of the newcomer, but loyalty rarely goeth so far.” The door closes.

I stare at the closed door. “Wow, Merde’s actually kinda nice aside from the whole soul-sucking thing.”

“If a little dated.”

The jell-o feeling returns with a vengeance now that we’re no longer in danger. It’s odd, but kinda nice. I ask Danny about it.

“Mmm, it’s ectoplasm. It’s what ghosts are made of. It’s what we’re both made of right now.”

I pull Danny closer and actually feel him ooze in and around me. “I bet it’s heaven on a hot day.”

Footsteps outside snap me at least back to the task at hand. “We really do need to get out of here.”

Danny looks up at me, some odd expression in his green eyes. “So soon?”

“Before Merde destroys anyone else.”

Danny nods and floats behind me. He slips his hands under my arms and we fly through the ceiling toward the lab.

-----

“Goddammit, Danny do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?!”

After I spent 5 hours alone hanging around Danny’s room he finally few in with Manson, who is at current chewing him a new asshole.

“People are talking bombs, dammit. You and Dash are expelled if not worse! And you fucking ran?!”

Something hits me. “Danny?”

He’s pacing around, arms waving madly. “And Merde’s a ghost, Sam! A ghost! A--”

Manson attempts to grab him by the shoulders but he’s too distracted to notice and fazes through her. “We heard you the first dozen times! Will you shut up and listen?!”

“GUYS!!”

The both look at me. “WHAT?!”

Now that he’s paying attention I can grab his wrist and start dragging him off. “Merde said things would be taken care of. We need to be there when that happens. Come on, we need to get back to that closet.”

I can see the wheels turning in Danny’s head. “By Hades, you’re right! Woe, how dense we have been!”

Mason gives us a look. “Wait, you’re giving yourselves over to Merde?!”

“Only for a little while. All predators look after their food.” I nod to Danny and we faze out and away.

-----

In a matter of seconds it seems we explode into the broom closet. I wince at the noise as every broom in that closet clatters to the floor. “Well, we’re announced.”

The door clicks but doesn’t open; the handle is caught on a fallen mop. I pull Danny close. “We need to look like we’re doing something noisy.”

He grabs my face and kisses me. I fall onto a wall and grope him for something I can hold onto. My eyes close. One of his hands falls to my hip, then slips under my pants. I groan.

Now the door forces open. I don’t hear anything though. I open an eye, close it, open it again and then tear my face away from Danny’s. “Mr. Lancer! Um…”

Lancer is standing in the doorway, eyes bulging and jaw lying somewhere on the floor. With visible effort he blinks. The door slowly closes.

I look at Danny and finally realize the sight we must have looked. He’s about as solid as I’ve seen him in months but I’m holding him so tight that his feet dangle a good 8 inches off the floor. Our arms are wrapped around each other with hands grasping some rather compromising areas; one of mine is holding him up by his rear. It’s… actually a very nice rear. I can’t help it, I give it a squeeze.

Danny gives me a mischievous look. “But, Dash, now that our presence has been announced we should presently try to make ourselves look acceptable.”

I take my other hand out of his hair and swat his other butt cheek. “Naughty little boy. One would think you liked that.”

He looks me in the eye. “I… I believe I did.”

I nuzzle him. “I did too.”

“Too much time has been spent locked in this closet.”

I laugh. “Shall we come out of said closet yet?” I set him down.

Danny straightens his hair back into it normal mussed rat’s nest. “Let us go.”

Before either of us can touch the knob the door swings open. Merde stands there. “Well, boys, follow me.”

We follow Coach Merde to news of our doom.

-----

We sit in Merde’s office as Merde paces back and forth in front of the computer and the glowing crystal ball. “You two greatly test the bounds of my patience and my influence. All those important know and believe that Daniel’s little outburst was a random gaseous outburst from the chemistry lab. Evidence has been placed and minds have been altered. The students are of no concern of mine and will probably remain unconvinced, but my word has reached parents already and the children shall have no influence.”

We both sighed in relief. We’re not dead.

Merde leans forward and seems to fade from view a little bit. “Now then. What is this nonsense about the two of thee trying to stop me?”

I shrink into my seat and Danny shows no emotion.

Merde pulls back. “I see. Perhaps the situation should be made clear for thee.” Merde fades from the small, slight, androgynous form, becoming tall and thin. Long hair swirls around the ghostly form as the entire room glows with a sickly gold taint. “I fade not easily, Danny Phantom. Thy precious Thermos could ne’er hold my power. Look at thyself and thy friend.”

I look at Danny and gasp in fear. His entire form is engulfed in a glowing aura of gold taint. His eyes glow as gold as Merde’s. I look at myself and see the same aura, only much fainter.

Merde leans over me and I can do nothing but stare into the glowing eyes boring into my own. “Dost thou see? Thou art mine. Mine of whom to take my pleasure, to care for or to destroy. Forever.”

I force my eyes close and shake my head. “No.”

Merde grabs the sides of my head. I feel the same slimy cold from the closet, but unlike Danny this one disgusts me. “Aye. Thou hath not a choice and this is known to thee. Or must I force my ownership? I prefer to take what is willingly given but if needs must I shall force thee.”

I look over at Danny. Oh Hell, what has Merde done to him? He’s watching us, curiosity and hunger in his eyes. I don’t know if he recognizes me anymore. “Danny?”

He licks his lips. “Yes, Dash?”

“Help me.”

Merde’s head is thrown back and a haunting laughter fills the room. “Help thee? Why, pray tell, would he help thee? He is marked as mine! He hath been mine for months.” Merde looks me in the eye and I feel a long ghostly tongue lick under my jaw, making me shudder in horror. “Thou knowst not how easy it is to claim a soul barely connected to its body. I realized not how I could use him to claim thee until thou hath deliver’d thyself into mine own hands on his behalf.”

Tears leak out of my eyes and I don’t even try to hold them back. This is it. My end.

The door flies open. “What in the name of Bronte is going on in here?!”

Lancer stands in the hall flanked by Foley and Manson. She’s holding a technic-looking thermos. Lancer’s courage lasts all of about two seconds before the scene kicks in. “Ghosts!”

Merde gestures an arm. “Phantom, attack the infidels. Destroy the children.”

Danny flies above us, suddenly wearing what looks like a black radiation suit, and zooms toward the others, screaming blasphemies. There’s the sound of minor explosions and things being thrown about and it suddenly gets really cold. Through it all Merde grins at me and kisses me. I try to shake the monster away but it's too strong, those lips stay latched over mine and they begin to suck.

I scream as I feel myself separating from my body, being torn out molecule by molecule. Merde’s hands leave my face as the monster floats above me. I vaguely see a thread between us, pure and white, and it’s being pulled out of me. I lie on the chair and twitch as my soul is unraveled. I can’t bear to watch and my eyes close.

In the distance, miles away it seems, a blood-curdling scream echoes. I open my eyes. Merde looks away for a moment, murderous with rage. I pull what thoughts I can find together. I let my head loll around; it feels better if I keep it moving. My eyes alight on the glowing crystal ball. It’s shining with something familiar, something I swear I’ve seen before, but what?

Suddenly things change for a moment. I’m looking out at my body from within that crystal ball, so many of us trapped here, enslaved, fed upon, no hope, nothing nothing nothing…

I gasp and find myself in that chair again. Merde’s distracted by something about ‘pesky humans.’ The crystal ball… I can just reach it… Got it!

Merde looks at me and laughs. “When thou hath destroy’d the crystal, thou hath destroy’d all that lives within.”

I stand, about as shaky on my feet as I’ve ever been. I hold the crystal ball above my head. “I’m willing to take that chance. Are thee?”

Merde inhales and I see the string fade and I don’t know, I can’t, I’m falling, I’m blind, I I I…

I hear a laugh of triumph, a scream of anguish, the crashing of something glass, and then…

Nothing.

-----

I feel… odd. Tired. Where am I? Who am I?

Images come slowly back to me. I concentrate. D… Dash. My name is Dash. Heh, that’s a funny name. What happened to me? Who am I really?

I see… eyes. Terrible gold glowing eyes that scare the shit out of me. Soft blue eyes that turn green and glowing and feel slimy and cold and wonderful. I see white, a string of white being… sucked? Yes, sucked out of me. Why does that scare me so? I see soft blue eyes turn green then gold and turn terrible and fly away.

Why am I so afraid? I’m tired. I just want to sleep. If I sleep it’ll all go away and I won’t have to be afraid anymore.

I won’t have to be anymore.

Please let me sleep.

Let everything stop.

-----

I feel hands slapping my face. I guess they must have been doing it for awhile, my neck is really sore. I open one eye and close it immediately because of all the bright. “Ungh.”

I hear a voice. “He’s alive!” Sounds like Manson.

I swat at the voice. “Tired. Sleep.”

Hands grab my shoulders. “Oh no you don’t. Danny said you are under no circumstances allowed to sleep.”

I force an eye open to deal with the bright. “Where’s Danny?” The other eye flies open and I fling myself into a sitting position. “Where’s Merde?!”

Manson throws herself onto my chest. “Lie down you big idiot!”

I lay down and now I’ve got Manson sitting on me. Okay… “Can you at least tell me what happened?”

Manson shudders. “Alright. This is what happened.”

-----

Eye glowing gold, Danny Phantom flew over Merde’s head and swooped down at Sam and Tucker. Lancer ducked out of the way just in time to avoid the first volley of green ectoplasm. Danny rose up again and strafed down at the pesky humans. Tucker screamed as a blast hit him in the back and he fell to the ground. Sam grabbed his wrist and pulled him to relative safety near the lockers. She threw herself out into the middle of the corridor to draw Danny’s fire. When he next came screaming down at them she jumped toward him, surprising the ghost boy. The air grew cold at his sudden emotion before he grabbed her and physically threw her into the lockers. The impact knocked the wind out of her and the Thermos out of her hands.

At the sight of injured students, training kicked in and Lancer collected himself. He crawled out from the lockers and grabbed the Thermos. He carried it to Tucker.

Sam coughed and tried to yell instructions to Lancer, but all that came out was a tortured whisper. “Open the Thermos and point it at the ghost!”

“What?” Lancer grabbed Tucker and dragged him out of the way of a bolt of ectoplasm.

Tucker moaned. “The Thermos. Open it.”

Lancer finally got the hint and opened the Thermos. It emitted a white light that Danny shied away from. Danny shrieked in outrage and collected enough ectoplasm for a blast large enough to kill everyone in the corridor.

Tucker grabbed Lancer’s wrist and pointed the Thermos at Danny. Danny screamed in mortal terror as he was sucked into the Thermos. Without a mind to control it the ectoplasm fizzled out into the air, fading into a strange green mist. Tucker’s hand slipped off of Lancer’s wrist as he passed out.

Sam stood up and coughed again. “Thanks, Mr. Lancer.”

Lancer held the cap on the Thermos without actually closing it. “Do we do the same to the other ghost?”

They looked into the office. Merde glared at them, teeth bared into fangs, fingers twisted into claws. Lancer readied to open the Thermos again in the direction of Merde.

Sam grabbed his arm. “Don’t. Merde’s sucking out Dash’s soul, if we do that we might kill him.”

“Then what do we do?”

“I don’t know.”

Tucker lay unconscious on the floor as Sam and Lancer watched in undisguised horror as Merde sucked in a glowing white cord unraveling through Dash’s mouth. They saw Dash grab the crystal ball. They heard the warning and Dash’s last attempt at heroism. When Dash fell Sam rushed forward and grabbed the dropped crystal. She bolted out behind Lancer and held the globe above her head as Merde consumed the last frayed threads of Dash’s soul.

A tear fell down her cheek as she said a farewell. “Goodbye Danny.” She slammed the crystal ball onto the floor.

The crystal shattered like thin glass and from inside rose countless strings of bright white light. She cried openly as they twisted around her and faded. Many of the strings merely disappeared, a very few of them moved as though they had a purpose. One searched around and triggered the release on the Thermos, immediately jumping down the throat of the deranged Phantom who rose cackling in triumph.

Merde screamed as the crystal shattered, as all that power left. Merde began losing form, drifting away in pieces as the ghost screamed and screamed and finally faded.

One last thread crept into Merde’s office and stuffed itself down Dash’s throat. He coughed in his semiconscious stupor and then his breathing began to fade.

Danny shook himself one last time and screamed at the others. “Don’t let him fall asleep! If you do he’ll die!”

Sam nodded. “I’m on it.” She rolled Dash onto his back, straddled his hips, and started whaling on him for all she was worth. Eventually he woke up.

-----

“So Danny’s all right?”

Manson smiles at me. “Yes, he’s all right. He’s off right now explaining a few things to Lancer.”

“Wait, what will Lancer know?”

Manson shrugs. “That ghosts exist. That Merde was a soul-sucking freak. That Merde almost killed you. And, we’re getting the added bonus of blaming Merde for Danny’s outburst this morning.”

Lancer wanders back, Danny beside him. “And what in the name of Shakespeare am I supposed to blame all this on? I can’t tell people it was a battle with ghosts!”

Danny shrugs. “Blame the chemistry lab. It’s worked before.”

Out in the corridor Foley groans, I hear him. “Danny?”

I hear Danny answer. “Don’t worry, Tucker, it’s alright. Everything’s normal again.”

Tucker scrams in pain.

Danny again. “Mr. Lancer, we should probably get Tucker to the hospital. It’s just a burn but it’s pretty bad. We can blame that on the chem lab as well. If you need, Sam and I could create the evidence needed to support a story of mayhem.”

Lancer huffs. “Under no circumstances, Mr. Fenton. Not unless I’m there to supervise and make sure no one really gets hurt.”

I know Danny’s grinning from ear to ear. “Not a problem, Sir.”

-----

It’s been three days since the battle. Foley was treated for second-degree burns and given detention to cover for the ‘chem lab’ excuse. Manson spent a night crying on Danny’s shoulder and the next night crying on mine. You’d think someone who deals with ghosts as much as she does would be able to handle near-death. The team was dismantled for the year pending the hiring of a new coach.

Lancer looks at the four of us with a new respect. Oh, my secret’s out. I’m now expected to actually do well in school as opposed to merely passing. Not like it’s hard.

I’ve lost my seat at the popular table for now. I’m kinda waiting for next month, November, when college apps go out; I’m planning on making myself available to the seniors for essay ‘editing.’

There’s one thing I still need to do.

-----

I corner Danny between classes. “I need to talk to you.”

He looks at me funny. “Now? We have class in like 2 minutes.”

I lead him away from class. “Do we really need to worry about classes? Think about it.”

He shakes his head and grins. “You’re letting this genius thing go to your head.”

“I thought it was always in my head.”

We laugh in the corridor as the bell rings. A few students run down the corridor in an effort to be less late than they already are. I continue to lead him to a specific corridor.

“Where are we… Oh.” Danny stops where I do and we both stand and look at the door of that one broom closet.

I turn him to search his eyes. They’re completely blue, the same soft clear blue I haven’t really seen in three months. “Danny, I really need to talk to you about what happened here.”

He bows his head. “You need to know if it was me in there or if it was Merde or some awful combination.”

I nod.

A snarly, nasal voice cuts in. “Are you two gonna stand there all day or are you gonna go to class?”

I curse rotten luck. “We’re going to class, Mrs. Berch.”

Mrs. Berch points a finger. “Good. Now go.” She marches back into her classroom and slams the door.

Danny looks up at me. “Shall we discuss this inside?” He opens the door to the broom closet and gestures inside.

I grin and look around before following him in. We close the door behind.

It truly is pitch black in here now that Danny’s abilities are back under control. I grope around for a light switch but decide against it when I keep finding nothing but Danny. I lay a hand on him, let it stroke around until I find his lower back and I let it sit there. “I do need to know.”

Danny nods. “Merde did force me to keep you invisible. That much is true. Merde also kept trying to keep us platonic. I didn’t want to be and I flirted with you. That much was of my own volition. Merde knew and during those 5 hours when I said I was waiting for Sam… My soul actually hadn’t been sucked out yet. I was allowed to keep it because without it I’d fade completely within days, but because of what we did…”

I wrap my arms around him. It feels strange to hold him like this when he’s warm and solid. “Merde punished you.”

Danny nods. “My soul was sucked out as punishment. The kiss wasn’t me. Merde wanted my reaction to be as ‘me’ as possible so the flirting went the next step. I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.”

I pull him as close as I can. “Shh, it wasn’t your fault. Don’t be sorry.”

“But--”

I silence him with a finger to his lips. “Besides, to use a term Manson’s so fond of, it was a ‘fake out make out’ anyway. We wouldn’t have kissed if we hadn’t made so much noise coming in here.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”

I entwine a hand in his hair, the other is left splayed over his back. “Shall we try this again?”

He looks up at me. I kiss him.

Danny wraps his arms around my neck and groans. We kiss like that for a minute or two before he licks my lips and I let him inside. His hands grope over me as I’m suddenly being plundered. I certainly don’t mind, in fact I hold on tight and let him have me.

The room suddenly gets brighter and I realize the door is open. With difficulty I pull my mouth away from Danny and gasp. “Mr. Lancer?!”

I feel Danny’s arms tighten as he also senses our audience.

Lancer pulls his jaw off the floor and gives us a look both confused and stern. “What is it with you two and this broom closet?”

Danny tries to find an answer. “Um… sentiment?” I see he’s trying for the “endearing” look again.

Lancer sighs and the door closes. I hear his voice through it. “Don’t make a habit out of this. You’ve been in there twenty minutes.” He walks off.

Wow, twenty minutes. “We should probably go.”

Danny slips his hands under my shirt. “Yeah, we should.” He presses closer.

I feel hands playing with my nipples. I slide my hands under his shirt and let one slip down his shorts to squeeze a cheek. “We’re not going to, are we?”

“Nope.”

I grin madly. “Good. Hard-ons in class are not fun.” I gasp as one of my nipples is pinched.

Danny captures my lips mid-gasp and we continue making out like the horny teenagers we are.

End