Seeing Double

Duet With Myself - Part 2

Hangouts with Fenton had become decidedly less spontaneous every since the Fenton Ghost Detector became a thing. Phantom had to wait for him to turn it off before he could go inside the house. Which was easier said than done, it turned out. His parents had begun to pick up on it.

But now they finally had a way to communicate. The Fenton Phones looked like the kind of earpiece you'd expect to see on a CIA agent except, well, kind of bulkier and bright green. So less cool and more conspicuous, but hey! They were functional.

And today, for the first time in months, their parents would be gone for hours. They were at a special Engineering convention two towns over and might even decide to spend the night out there. It was unlikely, but Phantom was hopeful. And when Jazz got home she'd just go straight to her room. Even if she didn't, she had always avoided the lab like the plague.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to return to visibility.

"You're just pulling my leg, right?" Tucker was saying. "The ghost boy wouldn't really-"

"His name is Phantom," Fenton said, reaching out blindly. "Aha! He is here."

He'd found Phantom's shoulder. "Dude, what gives?"

It was a little late to explain, but part of the problem was Sam. She was glaring at her boots and Phantom wasn't looking forward to having the stink eye directed at him.

"Just a tad nervous," Phantom said.

Tucker tutted. "Anyone can simulate a disembodied voice these days. You just need an impressive speaker system. Record any voice you want, just someone I don't know, then add in some distortion to make it sound ghostly."

"You think Danny would know how to do any of that?" Sam said. "Or have the tech?"

"I thought you wanted me to introduce you," Fenton murmured. Both hands on Phantom's shoulders, he tried to lean towards Phantom's ear, but bumped into the back of his head. It was a light bump, almost a nudge. "You change your mind? I won't be mad if you did."

Instead of answering, Phantom focused on the cold coating of invisibility that he instinctively wrapped around himself. It was a protective blanket, but he didn't need protecting right now. He loosened his hold.

Tucker gasped.

"Hallelujah," Sam muttered. "He has finally deigned to grace us with his presence."

Fenton laughed nervously. "The sarcastic goth is Sam, of course."

Being formally introduced was cringey and unnecessary, but Fenton didn't know that he already knew her as Phantom as well as from his memories.

Patting Tucker on the head, Fenton added. "And this one is Tucker."

When the shock wore off Tucker took out his phone and began taking photos. Then he propped an iPad up a table, starting a video. Phantom was tempted to disappear again, but Fenton assured him nothing would be posted on social media.

"Right, Tuck?" He elbowed Tucker and raised his eyebrows.

Tucker whined. "What's the point of being friends with the town's most famous ghost-"

"Tuck, c'mon. Promise him you won't post anything." It was odd, seeing Fenton trying to be authoritative. He was trying to scowl in a threatening manner, but the jut of his lower lip looked like more of a pout. The crease between his brows that of a petulant child.

"Fine," Tucker sighed. "I won't post anything for now."

Then he turned to Phantom and, using his phone like a mic, pointed it at the ghost's mouth. "If you'll just formally introduce yourself, my good sir, we can get this interview started."