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It was Friday, and Danny didn’t have anywhere to go. Sam had to attend a party her parents were hosting, and Tucker was visiting relatives. He hoped they were having a good time.Still, he couldn’t help feeling a little upset. Normally he wouldn’t have, but ‘normal’ had died a few days ago in the Fenton portal.
He was trying not to think about that.
He tried to stand up from his chair, and nearly fell over when one – and only one – of his legs phased through the floor. Grabbing onto the edge of his desk, he hopped awkwardly as he regained his balance. Once he had done that, he carefully set his foot back down. It reached the floor, and stayed there.
He heaved a sigh of relief, and then a thought struck him. What if it happened again? In front of his parents? He couldn’t stay here.
He barely remembered to tell his parents he was taking a walk before bolting out the door.
Once outside, Danny wondered where he should go. It didn’t matter, he decided, as long as it was Not Here.
So he wandered off, going up streets and down streets, following them or turning off, turning to the left and right, all on a whim, until he came to the old shrine.
There were stories about that shrine. It was said to have been abandoned during World War Two, it was thought to be haunted, and it was rumoured to hate everyone for deserting it. Danny’s parents had often lamented that the owner wouldn’t let them investigate.
On the other hand, it didn’t look very abandoned. Also, Danny was pretty sure his parents had said the owner lived on the property, so if it was haunted why hadn’t the owner let his parents investigate?
Besides, it felt... nice. A bit lonely, and a little sad, but welcoming all the same.
He walked up to the square wooden archway that stood over the path. “Hello?”
“Is someone visiting?” someone called from behind the building. Whoever it was sounded friendly, and perhaps a touch hopeful. “I’m just around the back!”
Danny walked a little ways past the arch, and came to a halt. A whisp of cold fog pooled in his lungs and spiralled out on his breath, pointing towards the man approaching from the corner of the building.
Danny backed up, and the man stopped. “You’re a ghost.”
“I suppose I am,” the ghost replied. Did he sound amused? His expression shifted to one of concern. “Are you lost? Do you need help?”
Danny shook his head. “I’m not lost,” he replied. “And –”
He didn’t feel like finishing.
“Child?” the ghost exclaimed. “Are you well?”
Startled, Danny looked down and saw he’d gone invisible. He managed not to panic while changing back, but it was a near thing.
“I think we should take this conversation inside,” the ghost said thoughtfully. “Unless you would rather go on your way?”
“Feel free to call me Shrine,” the ghost said while showing Danny to a seat. “Would you like some tea?”
“No thank you,” Danny answered.
Shrine nodded. “Would you rather I continued to look like this? I can revert to a more ghostly appearance if you think you’d be more comfortable.”
“No, I – it’s fine,” Danny said. “I’d rather you didn’t change.”
“As you wish,” replied Shrine, setting himself down. “Now child,” he said with a voice full of concern, “what happened?”
“Maybe nothing happened,” Danny said defensively. “Maybe I’m just like this.”
Shrine looked decidedly unconvinced. “Child, if you truly are ‘just like this’ your parents need a stern talking-to. Ghost senses do not become as well-developed as yours without cause.”
“There are other people with ghost senses?”
Shrine smiled. “Despite what you might think, it is a rare person who truly lacks one. For most humans, it produces feelings of ‘spookiness’ and ‘creepiness’. It does vary in strength – Mr. Fenton has quite a respectable one –”
“Wait,” Danny interrupted. “Mr. Fenton? You mean my dad?”
“Quite possibly,” answered Shrine. “He comes over every few weeks to ask about investigating the place. It’s really rather impressive.” He shook himself. “Be that as it may, I do want to find out what happened to you.”
Danny fidgeted, and rubbed his upper arm. “Um, well...”
Shrine said nothing, waiting attentively.
“There was a portal,” Danny said finally. “My parents built a portal, but it didn’t work. And then I went inside it, and I must have hit the arming switch by mistake or something, because then it did work. Only I was inside it.”
Shrine made a musical sound of horror. “Was the –” he visibly steeled himself. “Was the pain very bad?” he asked softly.
Danny stilled, and then nodded.
“I suppose the invisibility showed up afterwards,” Shrine continued. “That must have been a shock.”
“Not really?” Danny said. “I mean, it’s not like I expected it but it wasn’t entirely out of the question?”
“Why not?”
Danny looked up sharply. “You really can’t tell?”
Shrine blinked in confusion. “Tell what?”
“I’m part ghost now,” answered Danny.
Shrine tipped his head to one side, peering at Danny intently. “I don’t see it. You’re very good.”
Danny studied his hands for a bit. “I could show you,” he said. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.
“As long as you’re sure you’re comfortable with it,” Shrine responded.
Danny nodded and stood up. “Right,” he said, hoping he didn’t sound as silly as he felt, “I’m going ghost!”
The wave of cold light washed over him. Shrine made a sound akin to a surprised woodwind, and nearly vanished into a cloud of hair. Pushing the now much larger mass back with both arms, he took a good look at Danny’s ghostly form.
Danny giggled. “You look like you lost a fight with your hair!”
“That,” Shrine paused in a considering way, “is not entirely wrong.” He began coaxing his hair back under control, and then paused. “That’s what they meant! Still a misleading term though.”
“What who meant?”
“Oh, some roaming ghosts from Wisconsin had tales about a ‘halfa’,” Shrine answered. “At the time I thought they had to be mistaken, but since you exist...” He shrugged and went back taming his hair. “That’s neither here nor there. What’s important right now is you. Do your parents know you’re having control problems?”
Danny laughed. “My parents don’t even know it happened.”
“You haven’t told them?” The look of concern on Shrine’s face was almost comical.
“It’s never been the right time,” Danny said. “I’m sure Dad could invent something to change me back –”
“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Shrine said with a wince. “The portal must have altered your fundamental nature. You’re lucky to have survived at all, let alone both sane and recognizable.”
“You mean I’m stuck being a freak?” Danny yelled, changing back.
“It is a matter of your health, child,” snapped Shrine. “If anything went wrong, anything at all, you would suffer tremendously for worse then nothing!” He calmed himself before continuing. “I do think you should tell your parents. However, I am willing teach you how to use and control your powers if you wish.”
“Really?”
Shrine nodded, smiling. “It is not unusual for young ghosts to need teaching. It would be my pleasure to teach another child.”
“Even though I’m not really a ghost?” Danny asked tentatively.
“Child, if I cared what you were I wouldn’t have made the offer,” answered Shrine. He looked up and to the side. “It is half past four. Will you have trouble getting home?”
“No,” replied Danny, getting up. Just before leaving, he looked back over his shoulder. “My name is Danny Fenton. Just thought you should know.”
With that, he walked back home smiling.