The Phantom Anomaly

Chapter Thirteen

Amity Park is still strangely calm. No ghosts have been seen in over a week, and the residents are becoming uneasy. No ghosts means no Phantom, and the people of Amity Park feel strangely...alone.

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Jazz left the next day after promising that she would return the first day of her winter break. And she made Danny promise to call her with any news about their parents, ghost fighting, and his role as King of the Ghost Zone.

After Jazz left, Danny had a whole day to himself. For once in his afterlife, he didn't have to fight ghosts. Instead, he was able to finish his homework, cook a real meal for himself, and practice some of his new abilities in his lair.

Once he got over how nervous the quiet day made him, he was actually able to enjoy it.

And when he fell asleep that night, he didn't dream.

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As Danny walks into school on a Monday morning, Dash Baxter approaches him. Kwan follows behind him apprehensively. When Danny looks at him, he waves apologetically. Dash, however, is furious.

"Alright, Fenturd. What's your secret?"

Danny is instantly on guard. Multiple pairs of curious eyes turn to see his response.

"What do you mean, Dash?" Danny asks innocently. He hunches his shoulders even more, in an attempt to look smaller. He even adds a quiver to his voice, to seem afraid.

"I mean, how are you so buff?"

Danny laughs, and then stops himself. "Sorry. How am I what?" Danny gestures to himself, bringing attention to his hunched frame and baggy clothing.

"Don't try to hide it, Fentonia." Dash pushes Danny's shoulders back, forcing him against a locker.

Danny's muscles tense automatically, preparing for a fight. Before he can calm himself down, there are gasps up and down the hallway.

Kwan finally speaks up. "Dash, stop messing with him. I don't think you wanna piss him off."

Dash's face twists into a grimace as Danny hunches back over. "....fine. Let's go."

Tucker approaches. "Dude. What just happened? I missed most of it. Was Dash actually trying to bully you again?"

"He wanted to know my workout secrets." Danny replies with a grin. "I don't think he was trying to be a bully. He just doesn't know how to ask nicely."

Tucker swings an arm around his best friend's hunched shoulders. "Well, let's get to class."

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As the bell for first hour rings, Mrs Kempker makes an announcement.

"Alright, class. There's going to be an assembly at the end of the day. They shortened call of the classes today, so we need to make up for lost time. Let's get started."

Danny's head shoots up at the announcement. If Tucker and Sam were in the class, he would have exchanged a concerned look with them. Instead, he frowns, and looks back down at his desk. Around him, his classmates start chattering.

"Do you think it's about the ghosts?" Star whispers from the front of the room.

Danny continues to study his desk, concealing all of his reactions. It's very useful to have super-hearing, but it can also be inconvenient. It's hard to focus in a noisy environment.