My Brother’s Keeper

(Open POV)

Memory Tardis…

A mash-up of various Tardis themes and contents. 

The Fifth Doctor is trying to get the controls to work properly, "Okay, I think there must be... a kettle in here. There's everything else. I can't remember, did we ever do tea? We had a pineapple once, remember?"

"Jared, I was fast asleep, in bed. I said goodbye to Nyssa and…" Tegan said, looking over at Jared.

"With me, I know I was with Danny and Jazz. We were in the countryside. There was a party going on." Jared said, sipping on some bubble tea.

"That's good and all." Tegan said, spotting the Fifth Doctor. "Oh, Doctor, it's good to see you!"

"Oh. Tegan, we never really did this sort of thing, did we?" The Doctor asked.

"We do now!" Tegan said, excitedly.

"I did it every now and then, Tegan. You never even got the chance to." Jared said, holding his cup of bubble tea. "You two kept on running."

"That is true." Tegan said, sadly. "Oh, Doctor, you got old."

"You and Jared didn't. Not one line." The Doctor said, looking between Tegan and Jared.

"Don't get clever." Tegan said, scoffing.

"Oh, there's one... hundred."

"Spaceman, that was rude." Jared said, rolling his eyes. "Not in front of my Aussie airline stewardess."

"Thank you, Jared." Tegan said, happily.

"Don't mention it."

"But it's good to see you, both of you. I mean, how...? What kind of gimcrack Tardis is this? Don't tell me. One of you had an accident." Tegan said, looking between the Doctor and Jared.

"I know I haven't. Tegan, how far ahead are you than me? I've never met you before."

"You haven't? I'm from the year 2023. Have you met the Master and Ace?"

"Yup. I haven't seen Ace in ages though. She taught me the formula for her Nitro-9." Jared said, sipping on his bubble tea. "The last time I saw her, she was with the Seventh Doctor. There was also Sarah, Rani, Luke, Clyde, and Sky. I think. All I know is that after 'Prisoners of Love', I woke up here. What about you, Spaceman?"

"Believe it or not, Jared, I woke up in here myself. I think... it's a memory. It's a remembered Tardis." The Doctor said, smiling.

"I don't remember it being such a mess." Tegan said, looking around the Memory TARDIS.

"No, but time is memory, and memory is time. So this is the memory of a time machine, and it's reached out and remembered... us." The Doctor said.

"Doctor, I've missed you." 

"I missed you too, Tegan, once or twice." The Doctor said, looking between Tegan and Jared. "And Jared, I know in one of the parallel worlds, you traveled with us. Where you jumped along my timeline out of order."

"That I did. But that was a parallel version of me. That isn't this me. Where I'm able to see the multiverse." Jared said, happily.

"But that's not the point. I think this thing... needs feeding."

"Oh, great! I knew we'd be in trouble. Don't tell me, it's going to eat our brains." Tegan said, annoyed.

"No! Well, not literally. But this is a remembered Tardis, and memories thrive on stories. That's what it wants. Stories being told. Around a fire, like every storyteller across creation." The Doctor said. 

The chairs appear.

"What sort of stories?" Tegan asked.

"Tegan, Jared, we lived through the most extraordinary times! We've got the best stories ever!" The Doctor said, excitedly.

"That we do, Spaceman. Hanging out with Danny Phantom is awesome and all. But seriously. You know, you guys should really talk." Jared said, looking between the Doctor and Tegan.

"Well, Jared, do you mean we sit and tell stories about ourselves?" Tegan asked.

"Yup. That's exactly what you both should do."

"Oh, that's not so mad. I do that every day. All the things we did, Doctor. Truth be told, I think of nothing else." Tegan said, looking at the Doctor.

"You know, there was one story I never liked that had you two, Nyssa, and…oh. I'm sorry, Tegan. I really am. I want you and the Doctor to talk about 'Earthshock.' The one with the freighter and the dinosaurs. And well…" Jared said, letting out a sigh. "Maybe that's the story you should tell."

"Jared's right." The Doctor said, looking at Tegan. "I'm sorry, Tegan, but if we're going to tell a story, maybe it should be the strongest of all. Jared here wants us to talk about the day we met the Cybermen."

"I can't." Tegan said, sadly.

"You can, Tegan. I have faith in you. I believe in you." Jared said, walking up to Tegan to hold her hand. "I know you can do it. I know you can talk about Adric. Just do it for him."

"Okay. I'll do it for him."

"Brave heart. I wonder... where to begin." The Doctor said.

"Well, it began with Adric, cos he was travelling in the Tardis before I ever met you, Doctor. He stowed away from a different planet. But then, he told you that he wanted to go home." Tegan said.

"No, but before that. It's hard to tell where a story begins, isn't it? But before we came blundering in, it began on Earth. Think back, Tegan. It all started with those mysterious deaths... in the caves."

Casper High…

The bell rings. In front of the school, a banner reads 'Spirit Week Centennial: 100 Years of Casper Spirit'.

"Casper!" Lancer cheered, jumping in the air. "High! Spirit! Oomph!" He falls on the ground. Jazz looks down at him. He looks up. "Ahh, Spirit Week. I love it so." Lancer gets up. "The pomp, the circumstance, and mostly the spirit sparklers!" He whips out a photo of a younger Lancer cheerleading. "Jasmine, did you know I was a cheerleader when I went to school here?"

"Really? Weird. No clue. Look, can I talk to you for a minute, Mr. Lancer?" Jazz asked.

Danny is in the hallway walking past Spectra's office.

"About my brother Danny and his friend Jared?" Jazz asked, while Danny's ghost sense and Jared's ghost sense goes off. "They've been acting really strange lately. Like they're not themselves anymore."

Danny and Jared go intangible and fly through the door. Bertrand growls and they exchange blows. Jazz and Mr. Lancer are walking down the hall.

"I'd talk to them, but I'm Danny's older sister and he's just going to think I'm being bossy. And Jared hasn't seen Team RWBY in a while. And if they don't get some help, if they don't talk to somebody…" Jazz said, looking at Mr. Lancer.

Danny and Jared are fighting with Bertrand.

"…all that frustration they're repressing could come out the wrong way." Jazz said.

Danny shoots several ectoblasts while Jared sends several Railguns at Bertrand but misses. Bertrand growls at Danny and Jared, then flees through the ceiling. Danny transforms back to his human form and Jared turns invisible. Suddenly, Lancer opens the door to find Danny in Spectra's destroyed office.

"Good one, Fenton. You and Jared let him get away, you idiot." Danny said, talking to himself.

Lancer grabs Danny by the collar and yanks him out of Spectra's office.

Outside Casper High…

In front of Casper High, some random student knocks another random student's books out of his hands.

Spectra's office…

"Is it always so cold in here?" Jazz asked.

"Of course!" Spectra said, turning the thermostat from 'Cold'  to 'Colder. "I find that cold temperatures keep the mind icy sharp." She straightens up her office a little. "And don't you worry about this mess of an office, either. Stuff happens! No biggie. Right, Jasmine?"

"It's Jazz. My friends call me Jazz." Jazz said, happily.

"Yeah, well, your brother calls you fink!" Danny said, angrily.

"Danny, I'm just trying to help. Come on, we used to talk all the time."

"Yeah, when I was 8 and you weren't a fink."

"That's more than enough out of you, Fenton. Get to class while Ms. Spectra and I decide what your punishment is." Lancer said, as Danny scowls at Jazz, then stomps off in a huff. "Unlike her brother, Jazz is one of Casper's best and brightest. She'll be giving the keynote pep speech at our centennial Spirit-a-thon on Wednesday."

"Right on! That's why I'm here." Spectra said, gesturing at a series of photos on the wall, in which she looks chipper and various students look horribly depressed. "To pump up the pep, one student at a time."

"Jazz, Dr. Spectra is a highly respected motivational speaker and teen therapist. She's agreed to help pump up the volume on that old Casper High spirit this week." 

Bertrand walks in holding a sheet of paper

"And this is my assistant, Bertrand." Spectra said, smiling.

Jazz waves. Bertrand just sniffs. Jazz falters, looking awkward.

"Jazz, we're gonna have a super week! Wait'll you see what we have planned for the Spirit-a-thon! Right after your speech, show her, Bertrand…" Spectra said, pointing to the card Bertrand holds up, showing 'Casper High' written in dominoes. "…we'll set off this domino chain that says 'Casper Spirit'. Dominoes represent how each person's spirit affects the next person they touch. Slammin', huh?"

"If by slammin', you mean weird, then yes." Jazz said.

"And the spirit sparklers go off afterwards...right?" Lancer asked.

"Oh, you bet they will." Spectra said, pulling a pair of sparklers out of her desk, she leaps up onto it, brandishing them enthusiastically. "After all, what's spirit week without spirit sparklers?"

"You know, you're a little over-peppy, more peppy than Jared, but my brother might benefit from talking to you. But he's so mad right now, he'd never listen to me." Jazz said, looking at Spectra.

"Yes, well, he'll listen to me." Lancer said.

Casper High…

Danny is looking cross. He is sitting outside Spectra's office, under a sign declaring his chair the 'Happy Chair!' He looks up as the door opens and Paulina and Spectra walk out.

"So, you're saying my popularity is, like, completely dependent on my beauty?" Paulina asked, unhappily.

"I'm not saying it's fair, sweetie." Spectra said, gently. "But if you feel like you need something, like, a lot of makeup, I say go for it! You're the only you you've got!" She turns to look at Danny. "Danny, come on in!"

She goes back into the office and Danny follows her, closing the door behind him. Paulina stands there despondently for a moment, then turns and walks away. 

Spectra's office…

Spectra is sitting at her desk and Danny is shivering in the chair across from her.

"I can't believe my stupid sister convinced Lancer to make this my punishment. And can we please turn up the heat in here? I can see my own breath!" Danny yelled.

"Wow, you do complain a lot. Hm." Spectra said, shrugging. "Well, your sister did say you could be a bit of a baby."

"What?!" Danny exclaimed.

"Sweetie, it's not your fault she thinks you're a loser."

"Wait, Jazz called me a loser too?"

"Hey, those are her issues." Spectra said, walking over behind Danny. "I'm not saying you're a loser, Danny. I think you're a great kid!"

Spectra puts her hands on Danny's shoulders and he immediately slumps.

"Then why do I feel so miserable?" Danny asked.

"You know what I think? You might be a mess…" Spectra said, crouching down to Danny's eye level. "…but 'mess' is just the beginning of 'message'! Now go out there and be a better you." Danny gets up to go, running into the wall on his way out and slumping off dejectedly. The door slams shut, revealing Bertrand behind it. "Marvelous." 

Spectra opens a compact, and her head starts glowing green with ecto-energy. In the mirror of the compact, her slightly lined face turns fresh and young.

"Why are you wasting your time on a messed up kid when we've got a big to-do planned for Wednesday?" Bertrand asked.

"Yeah, but Wednesday's still a couple days away. Hmm. Teen misery is the nectar that keeps me looking fabulous." Spectra said, snapping the compact shut. "And that Fenton kid is like a walking spa treatment! I wish I could do it to the Black Pearl. But he seems to be immune to my abilities. I can't get through to him. He seems to be more of a walking spa treatment than that Fenton kid."

Bertrand glows, melts down and reforms as the pickle ghost.

"Hmm, then maybe I should up the ante." Betrand said, reforming as a giant hornet.

Casper High…

The school bell is ringing. The quarter are walking down the hall, Danny still looking dejected and angry.

"Danny? Are you okay?" Jared asked.

"I'm fine. I can't believe my sister told that shrink I'm a loser." Danny said.

"Are you sure Jazz said that? That doesn't sound like Jazz to me." Sam said, skeptically.

"Hey, you guys." Jazz said,coming down the hallway towards them and the quartet stops up short. "What doesn't sound like Jazz to you?" Danny scowls and his friends look sideways at him. "Still mad?"

"Wow, you are the smart one." Danny said, sarcastically before scowling again.

"Danny, I know you're angry, but I'm worried about you and Jared. Ever since the accident…"Jazz said, approaching Danny.

"Jazz, I know you think you're helping, and I'm sure when I'm older I'll appreciate it, but right now, I don't." Danny said, interrupting his sister.

"You have to talk to somebody, Danny. You barely have any friends." Jazz said, getting irritated. "Jared has more friends than you around the world."

"Jazz, I catch up with them from time to time. Sure. But I let them do their own thing and give them space." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "I call them during my free time. And the TARDIS connects me with them when they're not busy."

Sam, Tucker, and Jared frown at Jazz.

"Besides these three. And you have absolutely no extracurricular activities." Jazz said, looking at Danny.

"Unless you count the ghosts." Tucker said, looking between Sam and Jared.

"Shut it!" Sam said, tightly.

"Well, maybe this is me now, huh? Not everyone's pumped up full of spirit all the time, besides Jared, you know." Danny said.

Danny's ghost sense and Jared's ghost sense goes off.

"Not now." Jared said, looking over at Danny.

"Ghost sense? I don't see anything." Danny said, talking to Jared and he started shivering. "Jared, do you see anything?"

"Danny? You're shivering." Jazz said, putting a hand on Danny's shoulder, and he ran away with Jared.

"Leave me alone! Let's go, Jared!" Danny yelled.

"Right. Of course there's no murder, no mystery, and no Agatha Christie." Jared said, looking down at the floor.

"It's worse than I thought." Jazz said.

Suddenly, a random kid grabs Jazz, pointing away.

"A freakishly large hornet!" The random kid said, screaming and jumps into the nearest locker, shutting it on his leg. "Owww, my leg!"

Jazz gasps and people scream as indeed, Bertrand the freakishly large ghost hornet buzzes around the corner. It turns to look at Jazz and she shrieks. It flies up, grabs her and starts licking her head. Suddenly, Danny Phantom and the Black Pearl come flying to the rescue.

"Back off, ghost bug!" Danny said, angrily.

"Stop buzzing around! Alien bugs were scary! But ghost bugs?" Jared asked, crossing his arms.

Bertrand looks up, then phases through the nearest door.

"Ghost bug? Wait a minute, that was a ghost? That was three ghosts?" Jazz asked.

Outside Casper High…

Bertrand, Danny, and Jared fly out through the wall into the schoolyard.

"Somebody called for exterminators?" Danny asked.

"I wish I could make you drown. That's one way to get rid of a bug." Jared said, smirking.

"My, you two are clever, aren't you? Swat this, big boys." Bertrand said.

Bertrand attacks with his stinger, and Jared turns intangible.

"Idiot! I'm not getting better at this. I'm getting worse." Danny said, looking over at Jared. "How are you faster than me?"

Bertrand dives in for a second shot. Jared throws up an electrical shield and Bertrand smashes into it, then jumps away. 

"I don't know. Maybe it's my resistance to mental manipulation and my control over my bioelectricity." Jared said, smiling.

Danny is brandishing the Fenton Thermos.

"Alright, pal! Time for you to…" Danny said, looking around. Bertrand has vanished. "Gone. Great. Another bad guy gets away." He flies away with Jared. Jazz is watching through a window as Danny and Jared hovers in front of it, their backs to her. "Maybe Jazz was right. Maybe I am a loser."

"You're not a loser. You're not immune to whatever is affecting you." Jared said, sadly. "All I'm getting is a minor headache."

Jared rubs his head briefly, knowing Spectra is trying to affect him. Danny and Jared fly away, and Jazz turns away from the window.

"A ghost?" Jazz asked, grinning excitedly. "Wait'll I tell Danny and Jared!"

(Jared's POV)

Fenton Works…

It is now evening and I am drinking some hot chocolate.

"What do you mean, you didn't see a ghost?" Jazz asked.

Jazz, Danny, and I are sitting at the kitchen table.

"It didn't look like a ghost to me and Jared. It just looked like a big bug. So I ran with Jared." Danny said, bitterly. "Like a looooser."

"I was right. You're not going to listen to me, are you?" Jazz asked.

"Nope." Danny said.

"Well, you don't leave me any choice." Jazz said, raising her voice, as Danny sits up in alarm. "Mom! Dad! Can I talk to you about Danny and Jared?"

"What? Jazz, no!" Danny said, worried.

Jack and Maddie Fenton zip into the kitchen doorway, Jack brandishing the Fenton Peeler.

"Is there something wrong with Danny and Jared?" Maddie asked.

"Is there a ghost involved?" Jack asked.

"Is there something you and Jared want to talk about?" Maddie asked, getting up in Danny's grill.

"That involves ghosts?"

"I...I…" Danny said, visibly grasping for something to say.

"Yup." I said, happily. "Jazz thinks she saw a ghost today."

"Tell them, Jazz." Danny said, grinning smugly.

Behind Danny and I, Jazz looks trapped.

"WHAT?" Maddie asked, leapfrogging over Danny, now getting up in Jazz's grill. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"It would have been a good chance to try out the portable Fenton Ghost Peeler." Jack said, while the Peeler gleams. "It tears ghosts apart atom by atom!"

Jack aims the Ghost Peeler, pressing a red button on it. Metal armor extends from it, encasing him in a full suit with a clear faceplate. He overbalances in the heavy suit, falling over and smashing the kitchen table into splinters. 

Danny gets up cheerfully and walks off, "Well, enjoy your chat!"

Jazz groans.

Casper High…

In the hallway, Jazz has cornered a weirded-out-looking Sam and Tucker. I am invisible to Jazz, Sam, and Tucker.

"Don't you think they've been acting weird?" Jazz asked, as Sam and Tucker exchange a glance. "I mean, haven't you noticed how gloomy and negative Danny's been lately? And that Jared has been acting like his usual self but is acting something's wrong?"

"Uh, Jazz, we're Danny's and Jared's friends. That means we keep their secrets from you." Tucker said, and Jazz reaches into her purse and hands him a $20. "Although…"

"We've all got our problems, Jazz. I know you're worried, but Danny and Jared are ok." Sam said, snatching away the money and handing it back to Jazz.

Danny, walking to the water fountain next to the fire alarm. As he goes to drink, Bertrand's pickle arm reaches out of the wall and loops his backpack strap over the handle of the alarm.

"They keep some things to themselves, but it's not like they're doing anything criminal." Sam said.

Danny starts to walk away, his backpack strap pulling down the handle and setting off the fire alarm. 

"Water good at math is known for its 'calculated' flow." I said, happily. "Haven't made a pun in a while."

Jazz, Sam, Tucker, and I turn to look, and the sprinklers go off.

(Open POV)

Outside Casper High…

Apolice cruiser and two fire trucks are parked, and several people are standing around the yard. Lancer is confronting Danny, with Jazz, Sam, Tucker, and Jared behind them. Everyone is soaked.

"A month's detention?! But I didn't do anything!" Danny said, worried.

"Hey, Mr. Lancer! It was an accident." Spectra said, zipping up behind Lancer. "But we're going to take that accident and make it an accid-don't, and learn from it so it never happens again!"

"But…"

"No buts. You could learn a little bit about school spirit from Ms. Spectra here. When I was in school, I got the same advice. And look how I turned out!" Lancer said, posing enthusiastically.

Danny and Spectra exchange a look.

Spectra's office…

Danny is wearing what appears to be a top hat, "And this is supposed to help me how?"

Danny is dressed in knee socks, a diaper, a sash labeled 'SPIRIT' over his t-shirt, and a giant black top hat. He looks pretty unhappy about it.

"We're gonna help you overcome your fear of being called a baby." Spectra said.

"I'm not afraid of being called a baby. I'm afraid of...being called a loser." Danny said, sitting down.

"Ahh, and therein lies the problem. You care too much what other people think." Spectra said.

Dash Baxter and two other jocks walk in carrying boxes.

"Where do you want us to put these banners up, Ms…" Dash said.

All three of them stop, surprised. Then Dash grins.

"Hey guys, check it out. It's the Casper High Spirit Baby." Dash said.

All three of them laugh.

"Of course." Danny said, resignedly.

Danny slumps, and Spectra reaches out to touch his shoulder. Spectra's lined face becoming smoother and more youthful as she feeds off of Danny's misery.

Elmer's Pharmacy…

Valerie and Kwan are getting ice cream at the counter.

"I don't know. Ms. Spectra says I worry way too much about material possessions." Valerie said.

"At least you'll have them. Spectra says I'm going to grow old, broke, and alone." Kwan said, sadly.

The pair walks past our trio sitting at a table, and the camera sticks there. Tucker and Jared have ice cream and Sam has a cube of tofu in a cone, but Danny is just sitting at the table with his chin propped up in his hand.

"Man, it was brutal making you wear that stupid baby suit. I could hardly watch. Though I did get some good digital pics." Tucker said.

"Honestly. Same. I got mine in high resolution." Jared said, showing Danny a photo on his iPhone 15 Pro Max, of Danny in the baby suit looking miserable as other students laugh at him.

"Hey, whose side are the both of you on, anyway?" Danny asked, looking between Tucker and Jared.

"Danny, come on, you know they're kidding." Sam said, frowning.

"Ah…yeah, I know." Danny said, dropping his head into his arms on the table."I don't get it." He is sitting up again slightly "Why am I so depressed and angry all the time? That shrink was supposed to be helping me. Ever since I started talking to her, I've been feeling worse."

"Hey Danny, how's it going?" Jazz asked, walking up to Danny.

"Like you care." Danny said, crossly. "Just go away, Jazz."

Danny's ghost sense and Jared's ghost sense goes off. 

"Oh, no. Betrand." Jared said, while he and Danny looked over to the counter, where Paulina is mechanically powdering her face as the store clerk watches. "Forgot about him."

"If my skin's perfect, I'll be perfect." Paulina said, looking at the clerk "Do you mind? You're like the second old woman to hover over me today and I'm so not in the mood."

Suddenly, Pickle Bertrand pops up out of the floor behind her and lurks over her shoulder.

"Danny, we have to keep Jazz busy." Jared said, quietly.

"Okay." Danny said, popping to his feet, he glares accusingly at Tucker and Sam. "Yeah, well, if you're gonna take her side, then you hang with her too!" He is grabbing Jazz by the shoulder and shoving her into his chair. "Here, take my seat…" Danny is throwing his arm melodramatically over his face. "…you've already taken my friends. Let's go, Jared."

Danny races off with Jared through the back door of the pharmacy.

"Danny, wait!" Jazz said, jumping up and running after Danny and Jared.

"Come on!" Sam said, alarmed.

Sam and Tucker take off after them so fast Sam's tofu cone is left spinning.

"They went this way." Jazz said, running up to the back exit door and is looking through the door. "I'm sure I can head them off."

As Jazz is looking around the alleyway through the half-open door, Danny and Jared go ghost. Jazz gasps as they launch off and flies away. Then Tucker and Sam come running up the alley, Tucker still holding his ice cream.

"Danny?! Jared?!" Jazz exclaimed.

Up the sky, with Danny and Jared flying away in ghost form. Tucker, Sam, and Jazz all staring after them. First Tucker then Sam turn and notice Jazz standing there.

"Did you see that?" Jazz asked, running over to Tucker and Sam. "Tell me I didn't see what I just saw."

"It's not what you think, Jazz." Tucker said, cringing.

"Of course it's not. Ghosts aren't real. Jazz, you sound like your father." Sam said, grabbing Tucker's ice cream and stuffing it in his mouth.

Jazz stares at them quizzically, then looks suspicious.

"They keep some things to themselves." Sam said, as a voiceover flashback.

"We're Danny's and Jared's friends. That means we keep their secrets from you." Tucker said, as a voiceover flashback.

Jazz's eyes widen as she realizes they know exactly what she just saw, and that they're covering up for Danny and Jared.

"...Jazz?" Sam asked.

"Oh. Oh, of course!" Jazz said, faking a laugh. "My parents are such loons, it's rubbing off!" She is babbling and checking her watch. "Oh my gosh, is it that late? I've gotta work on my Spirit Week speech."

 Jazz runs off. Tucker and Sam both sigh in relief.

(Jared's POV)

Pharmacy…

Danny and I are flying intangibly. Bertrand cozies up behind Paulina.

"Do you mind? I was here…" Paulina said, turning and sees the ghost. "…first?"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" Bertrand yelled.

Paulina and the clerk scream. I come zipping in to the rescue, kicking Bertrand into a sunglasses display and landing. Bertrand growls at me.

"I know you need your makeup, but you're just gonna have to wait your turn." Danny said.

Bertrand backhands Danny, then shoots an ectoblast that Danny narrowly escapes, instead vaporizing a book display. Shoppers are starting to notice the fight. Danny and I dodge more ectoblasts as people start to run around screaming, and Tucker and Sam come back inside. 

Bertrand punches Danny into a wall of backpacks, "You're not very good at this, are you?"

"Yeah, well, maybe I don't need to be to beat you!" Danny said, getting back up.

Grinning, Bertrand melts down into a wolf form and pounces, managing to take a bite out of Danny's tail and cornering him.

"Then again…" Danny said, sadly.

"Hey, get away from him!" Tucker said, angrily.

Wolf Bertrand turns away from Danny, going to attack Tucker and Sam.

"Or, don't. Seriously, it's open for discussion." Tucker said.

"No! Stop! You leave them alone!" Jared said, worried.

Danny tackles Wolf Bertrand and they roll, ending up with Bertrand on top. He struggles to get up but can't move.

"Oh, look. The little loser ghost has a few baby helpers." Bertrand said, mockingly. "And a little baby helper to boot."

"Do...not..call..me...a LOSER!" Danny said, so mad, his eye twitches.

I flew towards Danny and managed to throw Bertrand off and into a glass display case. I shot an electrical shock at Betrand, but he dodges and I destroy the case instead. The pharmacy is now in shambles.

"Well, that's enough damage for one afternoon." Betrand said, melting back into pickle form and he flies off through the ceiling. "Ta-ta!"

Jazz is looking through the window, looking first up where Bertrand has vanished and then back down toward Danny and I.

"I sure hope they're insured." Tucker said, looking around at the wreckage.

"Great, he got away again. Another ringing endorsement for the town screw-up." Danny said, dejected.

"Danny, you're not that!" I said, while Danny and I flew off, and Tucker and Sam exchanged an unhappy look. "You're not!"

Amity Park…

"I am…" Danny said, sadly.

Danny and I phase through the roof outside, and Jazz watches us fly away.

"You're seriously not." Jared said, happily.

Fenton Works…

It is nighttime. Danny is sitting at the kitchen table with me and an untouched dinner plate, playing with his fork and looking depressed. 

"Danny, here's a hint for you." I said, sipping on some green tea. "Misery."

Jazz comes to the doorway and stares at Danny.

"Misery?" Danny asked, noticing Jazz staring at him. "What?"

"Nothing." Jazz said, walkingover, she examines Danny closely then pinches him.

"Ugh! What?!" Danny exclaimed, flinching.

"Nothing! Uh, so, uh, Danny…" Jazz said, as Danny rubs his pinched arm, frowning."I know I've been kind of hard on you and Jared lately." She sits on the table. "...but you know I think you and Jared are great, right?"

"Yeah right. That's not what I hear." Danny said, scoffing.

"Then you've heard wrong. Look, I know you think I'm pushy and I'm a know-it-all. I know you think I can be a jerk sometimes…" Jazz said, and Danny is listening with a dreamy smile. "...You know, you can stop me at any time."

"I know." 

"All I'm saying is I'm your sister and I care about you." Jazz said, letting out a sigh and putting a hand on Danny's shoulder. "And even though you don't think I'll understand, you can talk to me about anything."

"Um…" Danny said, looking away, like he's seriously considering it.

"Jared, I care about you too. I care about you like Yang Xiao Long would. Even though you don't think I'll understand, you can talk to me about anything too." Jazz said, looking over at me.

"Thank you, Jazz. About Spirit Week, there's something I have to say." I said, looking down at the floor. "And that's…"

Suddenly, there is a loud crash, startling Danny, Jazz, and I. We ran to the opening overlooking the living room to find the couch half destroyed and smoking. Jack is wielding the Fenton Peeler and Maddie is looking on.

"I'm just saying, if we can find that ghost at Jazz's school, we're gonna peel that ghost like an onion!" Jack yelled.

"Well we can't completely vaporize it. Don't you want to at least examine the remains?" Maddie asked.

Jazz, Danny, and I are looking vaguely alarmed, with Jazz's hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny frowns and shrugs it off. Jazz then decides to place her hand on my shoulder, before letting go.

"I don't feel like talking about it." Danny said, walking away and crossing his arms sulkily.

"Yeah, I'd imagine not." Jazz said, resignedly.

"Jazz, things might look up when Danny takes the C.A.T." I said, happily. "I promise. We'll tell you when we're ready."

"The Career Aptitude Test." Jazz said, going over to Danny, she kisses the top of his head then walks away. "Thanks for the hint, Jared."

Jazz then walked over to me, to give me a hug, before letting go. Danny looks surprised for a moment then smiles after her. Then, on second thought, I knew Danny wouldn't like it as much.

"Oh, gross!" Danny said, disgusted.

Casper High…

Danny, Sam, Tucker, and I are standing around Danny's locker.

"Uh, is it just me, or is this the worst Spirit Week in the history of Casper High Spirit Weeks?" Sam asked.

"More like, it's a therapist's dream." I said, looking at a hallway of depressed-looking students, then to Dash and Kwan looking rather worse for the wear. "I still can't believe this is happening."

"Another day, another 24 hours closer to a career of pumping gas." Dash said, sadly.

"At least you'll have a job. Apparently, I'm gonna end up a hobo. I didn't even know they had hobos anymore!" Kwan said, angrily.

I looked over at Paulina and Valerie, looking similarly depressed as they walked past us.

"Did you know wrinkles can start emerging as your mid-twenties?" Paulina asked.

"And to make it worse, we're all gonna have to sit through Jazz's idiotic speech when she tries to put the 'I' back in 'spirit' or some other nonsense." Danny said, while Jazz is running down the hallway looking delighted. "What the heck is she so happy about?"

I looked between Danny, Sam, and Tucker, drinking some Mountain Dew and holding my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

"Don't ask me. I'm usually the sour one around here. But compared to everyone else, I'm the goth bird of happiness." Sam said.

"Me too! And we're the only two people in this school who haven't had a session with Dr. Spectra." Tucker said.

"I don't even want to attend one of her sessions. In a parallel world, I saw how someone ended up after seeing her. It wasn't pretty." I said, looking down at the floor.

"Wait a minute." Danny said, perking up and grabbing my iPhone 15 Pro Max. "Let me see something."

Danny opens one of the pictures of himself in the baby suit.

"Sorry. Was going to delete those after sending some of it to Sam and Jazz." I said, still looking down at the floor and drinking the bottle of Mountain Dew.

"Glad you didn't. Look at that." Danny said, while in the photo, Danny's breath is clearly visible. "I kept thinking I was seeing my breath." He zooms in closer. "That it was cold. But what if that's my ghost sense? What if Spectra is somehow making people more miserable? What if she's a ghost?"

"Only one way to find out." Sam said, happily.

At Spectra's door, it slams open to show Tucker and Sam, looking terrible.

"I hate my life." Tucker said.

"I hate your life more." Samsaid.

Spectra comes up to the doorway as they trudge off, her face older and lined.

"Buh-bye! And remember, there's only an 'I' in 'misery' if you spell it that way!" Spectra said, slamming the door.

Invisible, Danny and I flew through the door into the office. 

Spectra's office…

We find Spectra in a swirl of ghost energy, breathing it in and becoming younger-looking in the process.

"Ahhh. Man, that's good." Spectra said, sitting on the desk. "I'm gonna miss these kids." She is shuffling through Tucker and Sam's student profiles on the desk. "They're a waterfall of misery." Pickle Bertrand flies through the wall. "There you are. You hooked up the device?"

"Of course. And when the spirit sparklers go up, vaporizing the only chipper kid left in the entire school, there'll be enough misery and anguish in that room to keep us looking young forever!" Bertrand said, excitedly.

Danny and I, still invisible, listen in horror. The bell rings, making them all look up.

"Well, there's the bell. Shall we go hear a speech and bum some more kids out?" Spectra asked.

The two merge into a single blob of ecto-energy and zap through the wall. Danny and I landed, becoming visible again.

"Jazz!" Danny said, worried. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because Spectra is an evil therapist. I'd rather be in a Memory TARDIS to get therapy." I said, looking over at Danny. "Spectra's the one causing it. All this misery."

(Open POV)

Casper High gym…

Everyone looks depressed.

"2...4...6...8…" The cheerleaders said, lackluster.

"Hey! What's the matter with you kids! You call that a cheer?" Lancer asked, taking a pair of pom-poms and cheering with enthusiasm. "We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got the spirit, how 'bout you!?"

Crickets chirp as the camera pans over the depressed and silent students.

"Ok…" Jazz said, at the podium.

Casper High…

Spectra and Human Bertrand are walking down the hall.

"After we've destroyed everything, you up for a cappuccino?" Bertrand asked.

"Ooh, that's a marvelous idea…" Spectra said, happily.

Suddenly, an electrical shock knocks Bertrand away. Spectra looks after him in surprise, then turns to find Danny Phantom and the Black Pearl hovering in the hall behind her.

"The Black Pearl told me, finally. You feed on misery, don't you?" Danny asked.

"I'm sorry, can I help you two?" Spectra asked.

"No, I'm sure you can't. You can't help anyone except yourself." Danny said, while Spectra lunges for him, but he dodges, going around behind her. "You find that one thing that a kid's most afraid of…" Spectra listens in amusement. "…their future, their looks, their confidence…" Danny falters slightly, then puffs out his chest. "…and you pick at it and pick at it while your snippy little ghost assistant feeds on it!"

"Your snippy little ghost assistant has been an asshole!" Jared yelled.

"Hey!" Bertrand said, angrily.

"Very good." Spectra said, clapping, and her eyes flash red, and a purple ring of fire flares up around her. "But I fear you've missed a few details! The few details the Black Pearl left out for you!"

The fire turns to purple smoke, and Spectra shifts into her all-black form, flying at Danny and Jared with both hands glowing with ecto-energy. Danny and Jared rears back, startled, and yells, then Wolf Bertrand tackles Danny and Jared, sending the three of them intangibly through the wall.

Casper High gym…

Jazz is standing at the podium between what are obviously two giant ray guns pointed right at her, with a large array of dominos set out on the floor in front of her.

"In this, our centennial year, we pay tribute to the past with these ceremonial dominos, each of which will fall into the next and finally trigger the ceremonial spirit sparklers…" Jazz said, looking at the ray guns.

Lancer looks around and is met with silence. 

"Woooo!" Lancer said, throwing his arms in the air energetically.

Once again, there are crickets in the audience. Lancer reaches down to knock over the first domino, and the row starts to fall.

Outside Casper High…

Wolf Bertrand knocks Danny and Jared through the wall and pins them to a tree.

"You two thought you were going to stop us? You? You both are just frightened little kids!" Bertrand said, swiping at Danny and Jared with his claws.

"We're not." Jared said, while he and Danny go intangible and the two phases through the tree at the last second. 

Bertrand looks around for them and Jared phases up through the ground, punching him and sending him flying over the building. Suddenly Spectra grabs Danny and Jared around the necks from behind.

"Let go of me!" Danny said, terrified.

"Leave us alone, you bastard!" Jared said, worried.

"Why would I do that? You two are rather similar, if I say so myself. Your doubt, your misery, it's delicious." Spectra said, and she, Danny, and Jared fly up to the window of the gym, where they can see the dominos falling down. "And the best part is, as soon as that silly speech is over, and that last domino falls and the sparklers vaporize the speaker, we'll leave the two of you here to take the blame. And by the time I'm done with both of you, you'll be sure it was all your fault!"

"Man, I am so tired of you dumping on me. And I am so tired of dumping on myself." Danny said.

"Danny, Jazz never did that to you. Even when you were mad at her." Jared said, happily. "Jazz has faith in you, that you will do the right thing. And she has been covering for you and me."

"You're right, Jared. She has." Danny said, throwing off Spectra. "And I won't let her down!"

"Bertrand! Sic them!" Spectra yelled.

Wolf Bertrand phases back through the school, shape shifting into a ninja. Danny and Jared gives him a flat look as he perches on a tree branch and whirls a set of nun chunks around for several seconds.

"We so don't have time for this." Danny said, sadly.

"We really don't." Jared said, taking out the Fenton Thermos out of his sling back, he uncaps it and sucks up Bertrand. "We need to save Jazz."

"No! Aaaahhhh!" Bertrand said, terrified.

"One down, one to go." Jared said, happily.

Danny grins at Spectra and Jared rattles the Thermos around.

"You two are through!" Spectra said, lunging at Jared and Danny.

"And you're done telling me what to do!" Danny said, while he and Jared flew around behind her.

"No one messes with Danny Phantom and the Black Pearl." Jared said, grabbing Spectra by the tail and throwing her into a nearby Dumpster. "Nice work."

"Thanks." Danny said, smiling triumphantly for a moment, then realizes what he's forgotten. "Jazz!"

Going intangible, Danny and Jared zip through the wall. Danny drags Jazz out of the way and through another wall just as Jared uses his electrical shock to disable the ray guns just the last domino triggers the ray guns. It barely avoided the podium being blasted. 

Danny and Jazz land in the back hallway, staring at each other as Jared flies through the wall and makes himself visible. Suddenly, Spectra grabs Danny and Jared from behind and yanks them into a storage room.

Storage room…

"Look at the both of you." Spectra said, seizing Danny's head and Jared's head.

"Come on…" Jared said, trying to open the Fenton Thermos, and Spectra knocked it away.

"What are you two? Ghosts trying to fit in with humans? Or some creepy little boys with creepy little powers?" Spectra asked, looking between Danny and Jared.

Jazz comes to the doorway, clenching her fists angrily.

"Both! Uh...neither! I don't know." Danny said, sadly.

"How am I supposed to answer that? It's complicated." Jared said, frowning.

"You're both freaks! Not ghosts, not boys! I finally got through to you, the Black Pearl. After all this time, you finally let down your defenses." Spectra said, as Danny and Jared start glowing green with ecto-energy, which Spectra absorbs. She drops Danny and Jared and they fall to the ground, disoriented. "Who cares for things like the two of you?"

"Excuse me." Jazz said, and Danny and Jared looked up in surprise. "I don't know these kids, but I hope it's ok if they get a second opinion." She holds up the Fenton Ghost Peeler and activates it. Armor starts to encase her. "...This is weird."

Completely suited up, Jazz fires the Peeler at Spectra. Spectra screams as her black form peels away to expose her 'human' form, which then peels down to successively older and more wizened versions of herself. At last there is nothing left but a smoking, ancient woman surrounded by ghost peelings.

"Talk about having nothing within." Danny said, smirking.

"Aaahh, nooo! I am nothing without my youth!" Spectra said, feeling her face.

Spectra screams more as Jared tossed Danny the Fenton Thermos. 

"Here you go, Danny." Jared said, happily.

"Thank you." Danny said, sucking Spectra into the Fenton Thermos.

"Hey, it worked!" Jazz said, powering down the Peeler and looking at it. "But it's still weird."

Jazz walks up to Danny and Jared, who flinches back.

"Uh...uh…" Danny said, sadly.

"Ahhh. Ghosts." Jazz said, smiling turning into a blank look, and then a ludicrously fake look of fear, and before running to the door, she pauses and looks back at Danny and Jared. "You two had better go."

Danny sighs in relief, turns, and walks right into a stack of boxes with Jared beside him.

"Oh. Uh, right." Danny said, going intangible, he flies off with Jared.

"Jared's right. Of course he's right." Jazz said, turning away from the doorway. "They can tell me when they're ready."

"Miss Fenton…" Lancer said, running up to Jazz with the pom-poms. "…you're needed."

Amity Park gym…

Jazz and Mr. Lancer return to the gym to find the entire student body pumped up and chanting 'Jazz! Jazz! Jazz!'.

"Hey, she's ok!" Tucker said, excitedly.

"Of course Jazz's okay, Tuck." Jared said, smiling. "Jazz is just like Yang. A caring, kind, mature, older sister to their baby sibling."

"Ahh, everybody's mood has lifted, as though some gloomy malevolence has been shooed away." Lancer said, looking over at Danny and Jared sitting with their friends and smiling. Danny and Jared wave at Jazz. "Your disappearing act worked marvelously. They've got their spirit back."

Danny and Jared are flying happily over Amity Park at night.

Fenton Works…

"They're not the only ones, Mr. Lancer. They're not the only ones." Jazz said, as a voice over.

Jazz watches Danny Phantom and the Black Pearl flying away from her bedroom window and smiles.

(Jared's POV)

Memory Tardis…

"Poor soul." Tegan said, frowning.

The Doctor is holding the Star of Mathematical Excellence, "And here it is. Remembered. He was so…"

"Oh, he was a nightmare!" Tegan said, angrily.

"He was daft and silly and sulky and…" The Doctor said, sadly.

"Doctor, Adric was just a kid. And he loved you immensely." I said, letting out a sigh. "He didn't want to go back to E-Space at all."

"Yes. I realise that now." The Doctor said, looking over at me.

"Looking back, I think, wow! Jared, you're right. The Doctor and I, we never stopped running. He died, we sailed on, we had more adventures. We never stopped. We never stopped to think!" Tegan said, worried.

"That's because of me. I never look back."

"Well, maybe that's what a Memory Tardis is for."

"Yup. You two get some nice needed therapy. It's not like you two were around Cybermen." I said, laughing a lot. "Especially after you left the Doctor, Tegan."

"Jared, that is in your future." The Doctor said. "Still, therapy was needed."

"About time." Tegan said, annoyed.

"I think it's done me good. And telling the story keeps him alive. Now, Tegan, Jared, tell me stories about you. About life, about everyday things." The Doctor said, looking between Tegan and I.

"Little tiny boring human things, you mean?" Tegan asked.

"They are the jewels. In this vault of memories, an ordinary life is one of the most shining things of all." The Doctor said, happily.

"Well, okay. I left you, remember? Found myself on the bank of the Thames with a load of dead Daleks. Long story but, in the end, I got myself back to Brisbane, and it took a while. I think I was in shock."

"Well, what happened after you were in shock, Tegan?" I asked, sipping on some bubble tea. "I know I recently stopped a ghost. Spectra. God, she was annoying. She fed on misery."

"That sounds like one hell of an adventure." Tegan said, scoffing. "Oh. Where was I? Oh yeah. I thought, 'What can I do with my life? What can I do that would make the Doctor proud?' Jared, I know you've been doing things that have been making the Doctor proud. So I started campaigning for the environment, and I used every trick you taught me. To never give up, to never be defeated, to keep fighting even in the darkest of times. And, oh! There were some times I thought, 'He would be proud of me.'"