Chapter Text
Danny planned to sign up for Arts 101 for an easy A. Not only to get the required Art credit to graduate, but also to get his GPA for this year to a less pathetic level.
Everyone else in the school had the same idea. Arts 101 was full.
But instead of telling Danny to sign up for something else and do Arts 101 next year, the well meaning Ms. Heyes signed him up for a Music class instead, 'to save him the effort' of signing up for a different class. She meant well, but...
Danny has no musical bone in his body, he just knows it. Not to mention...
Introductory to Strings was... one could say homework intensive. A class he shouldn't sign up for, Lancer said. Danny struggled with normal homework enough, but Mrs. Ayve's class requires the students to practice- basically to learn on their own - in their free time. Everyone knew it is the worst choice for a student like Danny. Someone who struggled to get regular homework done.
Well, Ms. Hayes didn't.
So Danny was, when the ghosts were relatively chill, in an abandoned factory at the outskirts of Amity Park, torturing a cheap guitar Sam organized for him. As for why he practiced in such a barren setting?
To be alone, to not be watched and most importantly, to not embarrass himself by playing badly.
At least that was the idea.
"Stop, stop, stop! This sounds terrible!", Ember's voice boomed through the old factory. "What are you doing there? Why are you torturing this innocent guitar?!"
Danny just sighed. "What are you even doing here? And I'm just trying to learn through guitar."
Ember crossed her black gloved arms. "Why? I never took you for the musical type. And clearly, you're not good at it, babypop."
"School. I need to learn the guitar for music class. I can't afford to fail yet another subject." Danny explained. "And frankly, I want to get the art credit over with, so I would prefer a one and done type of deal. Sure, I could re-attempt the art credit next year, but... I don't want to."
"Hm..." she hummed. "So, you need to learn it?"
"Yes." he grumbled annoyed. "Listen, just leave me alone. If not I souped you. I'm not in the mood to fight."
"Or", she offered, "I teach you how to play."
He froze. "Wait, you would?"
Danny knew it was too good to be true, but dammit, an actual teacher would be great. Mrs. Ayve just tests in her class what they practiced at home. Him and the other involuntarily attending students of her course start to wonder if she even knows how to teach.
"What is the catch?" he asked, skeptical of Ember's sudden helpfulness. "What do you want in exchange?"
"Well, frankly? I actually didn't want anything in exchange - bragging that I pulled you into my Obsession is enough for me - but if you offer so nicely..." she told him grinning, "Two things. Let me hold concerts without interruption. I won't hypnotized anyone, I just want to rock and be admired."
"Well, your music is good, I give you that..." he murmured while pondering. "What else?"
"When you are good enough for it, I want you to act as a guitarist for some of these concerts." Ember said. "Now, this part of our deal won't happen for a while, but..."
"Frankly, I expected worse conditions from you. Worse for me." Danny stated, "Huh, me in one of your concerts, should I be honored?"
"Yes, you should, lipstick!" she snapped. "Now, when that happens, do not show up as Phantom, you perform in human form. Aside that the black hair simply fits better to my vibe, I can't have hunters crash it to chase you!" She then added, arms crossed, "And I do not want you to steal the show when your fans realize Phantom is my guitarist."
"You think I could steal the spotlight?" he chuckled, "But yeah, good points to play human. The only thing I would worry about is if my parents discover I assist a ghost. They would be angry. I would be grounded until I turn eighteen."
"Hey, maybe you can make your eyes green? Black hair, green eyes. Looks sick and may help being anonymous." Ember asked. "Sure, blue suits my brand better, but everyone who knows the human you knows you have blue eyes."
"I... would need to practice this, but yeah, it should work." Danny replied, "Heck, it happens accidentally all the time." He sighed, "I can't fail this class, so, sure. With what do we start?"
"Tuning this guitar, then I show you how to hold it correctly."
And with that a questionable deal was born.
At first, his improvement didn't really register on anyone's radar, aside from his friends, who knew about the deal. Other than then, no one noticed the stark improvement because they rarely thought of Danny in context with guitars, so they never paid mind to what should be his skill level with the instrument.
Aside from the Music course itself, namely the students. They noticed quickly that Danny got the best scores. They heard he played better than them. But it really sunk in when the school semester ended: Danny was extremely good on the guitar.
Everyone assumed he was just a prodigy, unaware that he just had a good teacher, who wasn't Mrs. Ayve.
The Ghost Zone had a few social settings, like the Specter Lounge. This place specifically was a hot spot for musical ghosts, like Ember. But sometimes other ghosts got there as well, be it for the music or the gossip.
"Dayum, Ember! Lookin' vibrant today!" her drummer Josh said when she appeared in the lounge. "Got a new song to share?"
She shook her head, "Not yet, but something happened. I pulled Phantom into my Obsession."
The lounge got quiet.
"Phantom? The Protector Spirit?" Josh asked. "Wait, or is he a Guardian Spirit-doesn't matter, you pulled him in?"
She nod, "Yeah, taught him how to play the guitar."
A different ghost approached her. The ghost was Sidney Poindexter. "How did this happen? I didn't take Danny for a musician."
She shrugged, "He needed to learn it for a school credit, so..."
"Oh, he had no other choice, then.", Josh stated, "Very opportunistic, Em!"
"Yeah, also, I may have found a new guitarist for my next gig. Well, for sometimes, no permanent member."
"We could use a venue more."
"About that!"