#quishaphantom

Sam couldn’t find Danny, and she’d been looking for hours. He was unfairly good at hide and seek.

“This is impossible,” She huffed to Tucker. “He has to be cheating!”

Tucker snickered. “It’s your fault for choosing to play in the park- I warned you he was good.”

“No one is this good!”

“Danny is,” Tucker smirked, reclining in the shade of a tree.

Sam scowled, hand on her hips. She turned in a circle, scanning the crowded park. Danny wasn’t hiding in the playground- she’d checked twice. He wasn’t by the fountain, the pond, or the amphitheater; She was seriously beginning to wonder if he had snuck into the bounce house that was set up for some kid’s birthday party.

“My offer still stands,” Tucker teased. “I’ll find him for you- you just have to admit he’s the king of hide and seek!”

“You swear he’s not cheating?”

“I swear,” Tucker stretched his arms above his head. “But I also swear that as soon as I show you, you’re gonna feel like an idiot.”

“I’ve looked everywhere!” Sam cried. “Twice! If anything, I’ll be impressed.”

“Nah,” he disagreed. “You’ll feel stupid.”

Grumbling, Sam followed Tucker towards the part of the park populated by trees. She’d already spent too long in there looking for her friend; She’d even climbed the trees to see if he was hiding in the branches.

“He’s not in here, Tuck,” She assured. “I checked.”

“You didn’t check everywhere.” Motioning for her to be quiet, Tucker crept over to a log, an evil grin on his face. He jumped on the log, stomping his feet. A shriek sounded from inside before none other than Danny Fenton was scrambling out.

“Not cool!” He shouted, shoving Tucker playfully.

Sam stared at him. “You were in a log?”

“Yup.” Danny brushed dead leaves out of his hair.

“Told you you’d feel dumb!” Tucker laughed.

“Three hours,” Sam couldn’t believe it. “You sat there for three hours? Didn’t you get bored?”

Danny shrugged. “Not really- I was texting Tucker.”

“Tucker!” She snapped in betrayal.

“To be fair, I had no proof of he was here,” he slung an arm over Danny’s shoulders. “But I had a good idea.”

“Sometimes I think you two share a brain,” Sam crossed her arms, smiling.

“That’s what happens when you’ve been friends for 12 years!”

“12?” Danny verified the math in his head. “My God we’re getting old.”

“You’re in 8th grade,” Sam rolled her eyes. “You aren’t old.”

“In a few months we’ll be in high school,” Tucker pointed out. “Can we consider ourselves old then?”

Sam just laughed as she and the boys left the park to get lunch at the Nasty Burger.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------           Tucker couldn’t find Danny, and he’d been looking for hours. His best friend was still mortified over losing his pants in front of Paulina.

         “Dude, come on,” Tucker called. “It’s not that big a deal!”

         Tucker and Sam had been searching the town since Danny had run out of school, going ghost behind a tree and taking off. Now, Tucker was in Danny’s house, checking every hiding spot he knew of.

         Frustrated, Tucker pulled out his phone, dialing Danny for the thousandth time. He smirked when he heard his ringtone.

         “Rookie mistake, Danny!” Tucker followed the sound to Danny’s room; there was a shuffling in the closet, presumably caused by Danny trying to silence his phone. Tucker threw open the door, sighing when he didn’t see his friend.

         “I know you’re here dude, being invisible won’t work,”

         With a sigh, Danny appeared, sitting on the top shelf in his closet. It had been his designated moping spot in middle school- not that anyone else knew that was where he hid. Tucker had thought Danny had given up on hiding there, but obviously he was wrong.

         Pocketing his cell, Tucker climbed up to join him, squishing himself into the remaining space.

         “I’m amazed we still fit up here,” Tucker said lightheartedly. Danny said nothing.

         “C’mon man, it wasn’t that bad.”

         Danny scoffed. “I beg to differ. I totally blew any chance I had with Paulina.”

         “That’s so not true! We all know you never had a chance,” Tucker chuckled weakly as Danny glared at him with glowing eyes.

         “Not helping.”

         “Sorry.”

         “I hate these powers,” Danny moaned, burying his head in his hands. “They’ve been nothing but a curse!”

         “You don’t really believe that, do you?”

         “Why wouldn’t I?”

         “What about all the awesome stuff you’ve been able to do?” Tucker asked. “Dude, you can fly! Do you know how many people wish they could do that?”

         “It’s not as great as you’d think. If I don’t keep my mouth closed, I get bugs in my teeth.”

         “Okay, gross. But what about your other powers? You can turn invisible!”

         “As if I wasn’t invisible before!” the ghost groaned, hitting his head back on the wall.

         Tucker rolled his eyes. “You’re so dramatic sometimes. You aren’t cursed dude. You were given a gift- just like any other superhero! Think of all the people you’ve helped- people you’ve saved? Do you think they see you as a curse?” Danny said nothing. “Exactly.”

         “I still totally embarrassed myself today. Paulina probably thinks I’m some perverted freak!”

         “Well, actually, before Sam showed up, I think she was impressed!”

         “Really?” Danny’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Why?”

         “Dunno,” Tucker shrugged. “But I did see her tell off Mikey for laughing at you. Maybe you didn’t blow it after all.”

         With a smile, Danny reverted back to human. “Thanks Tuck. What would I do without you?”

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         Jazz couldn’t find Danny, and she’d been looking for hours. He’d come home that day with another failed science test and was trying every way possible to avoid telling their parents. Clutching the test in one hand, she scaled the ladder leading to the roof- since getting his ghost powers Danny had been spending more and more time up there.

         Sure enough, Danny was laying flat on his back, staring vacantly at the clouds.

         “Hey Dan- “

         “Jazz, don’t,” Danny draped his arm over his eyes. “I really don’t need you to lecture me right now.”

         “Lecture you?” Jazz sat next to her little brother, reclining on her hands. “What makes you think I’d lecture you?”

         “You’re my big sister- it’s what you do.”

         Jazz smiled, nudging him gently. “Well it’s not what I’m doing now. I just wanted to talk.”

         “About what?”

         “Mom and dad.”

         Danny removed his arm, looking at his sister suspiciously. “What about them?”

         “Well, maybe it’s time to tell them about… you know…” Jazz glanced around, making sure none of their parents’ equipment was around to hear her. “Your powers.”

         “No!” Danny shot up, eyes wide with panic. “Jazz I can’t!”

         “Why not?” she set a calming hand on her brother’s shoulder.

         “Are you crazy?” Danny snapped. “What do you think they’ll say Jazz? They’re entire life is dedicated to hunting ghosts; Dad can’t go one day without talking about new methods of dissecting things molecule by molecule! And mom,” Danny shuddered. “I don’t even want to imagine what she would think.”

         “They’ll love you no matter what, Danny,” Jazz assured. “They just want what’s best for you.”

         “And you expect them to think that being a ghost is the best thing for me?” Danny scoffed. “They’d never stop trying to ‘fix me’.”

         “You don’t know that!” Jazz argued. “They’re worried about you Danny- being a secret superhero doesn’t leave a lot of room for normal teenage things. You don’t eat or sleep regularly, you’re falling behind on your chores, and your grades are slipping!”

         “I know!” Danny shouted, frustrated. “But what am I supposed to do about it? I can’t be normal and save this town at the same time!”

         “They could help with that too! You already borrow their stuff all the time- imagine if you worked together to create new gear!”

         “No!”

         “You’re being unreasonable! Are you really that scared they’ll hate you?”

         “Yes! No! Kinda!” Danny seemed to deflate, all anger leaving him. “It’s complicated.”

         Jazz paused, feeling her frustration melt away. Her brother looked so tired and lost. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a soft hug. “Want to tell me why?”

         “Do you remember when the accident first happened?” Danny asked quietly. “When the portal exploded?”

         “Of course I do. Mom and dad were arguing all the time. Mom was so mad that- oh.” She trailed off as realization hit her. “You’re scared of them fighting again, aren’t you?”

         “It’s not like they don’t fight anyways,” Danny muttered. “But mom was so distressed, and she was so worried that there would be side effects, and knowing what I know now about Vlad and how he got his powers… I don’t know how they would handle it.” He groaned, glaring at the test in Jazz’s hands. “Of course, they might understand ghost powers more than another failed test.”

          Jazz glanced at her brother before shredding the test, the pieces blowing away with the wind. “What failed test? As far as I’m aware the teacher misplaced your test after putting in an incorrect grade.”

         Danny looked at her, shocked. “But… Jazz, that’s- “

         “Cheating?” She shrugged. “Given the circumstances I think it’s fair. C’mon, I’ll help you study for your retake.”

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         Amity Park was in utter chaos. Buildings were in ruin, overturned cars burning in the streets. Civilians ran around in horror as emergency services did their best to calm the crowds. Parents and children cried out for one another, having been separated in the panic. In the midst of it all, Sam, Tucker, and Jazz were anxiously watching the road.

         The ghost attack had come out of nowhere, catching them all by surprise. Danny had been completely overwhelmed, even with support from his friends and sister. The ghost had dealt a particularly devastating blow, sending Danny through the pavement and into the sewers. The three had tried to follow, but police were already on the scene, keeping them away.

         The Fenton’s had appeared on the scene 10 minutes ago; they’d entered the sewer 30 seconds later. For 7 minutes the trio had heard muffed shouts and battle cries as various equipment sounded, smoke rising from the hole in the street.

         A minute later, Jack Fenton emerged, hoisting his wife after him; she proudly brandished a shaking thermos. Happily, they lead the crowd away, Jack making a point to brag in front of everyone who had ever doubted him. Determining there was no danger, the police marked off the area to be fixed as soon as the mayor sent a construction crew. They too left to celebrate with the Fenton’s.

         Tucker, Sam, and Jazz stayed, waiting for Danny to join them.

         At 5 minutes, Jazz got anxious; After 10, Tucker was starting to panic. When Danny still hadn’t appeared 15 minutes later, Sam jumped over the caution tape with a declaration of “Screw this, I’ll find him myself!”

         Sam didn’t find him after 15 minutes.

Tucker was still scouring the wreckage 30 minutes later.

         Jazz hadn’t found him after an hour.

         Twenty minutes later, Tucker had made himself hoarse calling for his best friend

         Twenty minutes later, Sam was searching by the light of her phone.

         Twenty minutes later, Jazz started to cry.

         Jazz couldn’t find her brother- he wasn’t laying on their roof.

         Tucker couldn’t find his best friend- he wasn’t hiding in his closet.

         Sam couldn’t find her hero- he wasn’t under a log in the park.

         He’s the king of hide and seek. He’s just hiding. He’s unfairly good at hide and seek.