| Shot of Casper High. The bell rings. In front of the school, a banner reads "Spirit Week Centennial: 100 Years of Casper Spirit". | |
| Lancer | [Jumping in the air as he cheers] Casper! High! Spirit! Oomph! [He falls on the ground. Jazz looks down at him. He looks up.] Ahh, Spirit Week. I love it so. [Getting 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? |
| Jazz | Really? Weird. No clue. Look, can I talk to you for a minute, Mr. Lancer? |
| Cut to Danny in the hallway walking past Spectra's office. | |
| Jazz | [offscreen] About my brother Danny? [Danny's ghost sense goes off.] He's been acting really strange lately. Like he's not himself anymore. |
| Danny goes intangible and flies through the door. Bertrand growls and they exchange blows. | |
| Cut to Jazz and Mr. Lancer walking down the hall. | |
| Jazz | I'd talk to him, but I'm his older sister and he's just going to think I'm being bossy. And if he doesn't get some help, if he doesn't talk to somebody-- |
| Cut to Danny's fight with Bertrand. | |
| Jazz | [offscreen]--all that frustration he's repressing could come out the wrong way. |
| Danny shoots several ectoblasts at Bertrand but misses. Bertrand growls at Danny, then flees through the ceiling. Danny transforms back to his human form. Suddenly Lancer opens the door to find Danny in Spectra's destroyed office. | |
| Danny | [to himself] Good one, Fenton. You let him get away, you idiot. |
| Lancer grabs him by the collar and yanks him off-screen. | |
| Opening Sequence | |
| Camera opens in front of Casper High. Some random student knocks another random student's books out of his hands. | |
| Jazz | [offscreen] Is it always so cold in here? |
| Spectra | [She turns the thermostat from "Cold" to "Colder".] Of course! 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? |
| Jazz | It's Jazz. My friends call me Jazz. |
| Danny | Yeah, well, your brother calls you fink! |
| Jazz | Danny, I'm just trying to help. Come on, we used to talk all the time. |
| Danny | Yeah, when I was 8 and you weren't a fink. |
| Lancer | That's more than enough out of you, Fenton. Get to class while Ms. Spectra and I decide what your punishment is. [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. |
| Spectra | Right on! That's why I'm here. [Gestures 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. |
| Lancer | 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 | |
| Spectra | And this is my assistant, Bertrand. |
| Jazz waves. Bertrand just sniffs. Jazz falters, looking awkward. | |
| Spectra | 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, [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? |
| Jazz | If by slammin', you mean weird, then yes. |
| Lancer | And the spirit sparklers go off afterwards...right? |
| Spectra | Oh, you bet they will. [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? |
| Jazz | You know, you're a little over-peppy, but my brother might benefit from talking to you. But he's so mad right now, he'd never listen to me. |
| Lancer | Yes, well, he'll listen to me. |
| Camera opens back on Danny, looking cross. It zooms out to show him 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. | |
| Paulina | [unhappily] So, you're saying my popularity is, like, completely dependent on my beauty? |
| Spectra | [gently] I'm not saying it's fair, sweetie. 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! [Turning] 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. Camera goes to the office, where Spectra is sitting at her desk and Danny is shivering in the chair across from her.] | |
| Danny | 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! |
| Spectra | Wow, you do complain a lot. Hm. [Shrugging] Well, your sister did say you could be a bit of a baby. |
| Danny | What?! |
| Spectra | Sweetie, it's not your fault she thinks you're a loser. |
| Danny | Wait, Jazz called me a loser too? |
| Spectra | Hey, those are her issues. [Walking over behind him] I'm not saying you're a loser, Danny. I think you're a great kid! |
| [She puts her hands on his shoulders and he immediately slumps.] | |
| Danny | Then why do I feel so miserable? |
| Spectra | You know what I think? You might be a mess, [crouching down to his 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.] | |
| Spectra | Marvelous. [She opens a compact, and her head starts glowing green with ecto-energy. In the mirror of the compact, we see her slightly lined face turn fresh and young.] |
| Bertrand | Why are you wasting your time on a messed up kid when we've got a big to-do planned for Wednesday? |
| Spectra | Yeah, but Wednesday's still a couple days away. Hmm. Teen misery is the nectar that keeps me looking fabulous. [Snaps the compact shut] And that Fenton kid is like a walking spa treatment! |
| [Bertrand glows, melts down and reforms as the pickle ghost.] | |
| Bertrand | Hmm, then maybe I should up the ante. |
| [He reforms as a giant hornet.] | |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera goes to the school bell ringing. The trio are walking down the hall, Danny still looking dejected and angry.] | |
| Tucker | Dude, you ok? |
| Danny | I'm fine. I can't believe my sister told that shrink I'm a loser. |
| Sam | [skeptically] Are you sure Jazz said that? That doesn't sound like Jazz to me. |
| Jazz | [Coming down the hallway toward them] Hey, you guys. [The trio stops up short.] What doesn't sound like Jazz to you? |
| [Danny scowls and his friends look sideways at him.] | |
| Jazz | Still mad? |
| Danny | [sarcastically] Wow, you are the smart one. [scowls again] |
| Jazz | [approaching] Danny, I know you're angry, but I'm worried about you. Ever since the accident-- |
| Danny | [interrupting] 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. |
| Jazz | [getting irritated] You have to talk to somebody, Danny. You barely have any friends. |
| [Sam and Tucker frown.] | |
| Jazz | Besides these two. And you have absolutely no extracurricular activities. |
| Tucker | [to Sam] Unless you count the ghosts. |
| Sam | [tightly] Shut it! |
| Danny | Well, maybe this is me now, huh? Not everyone's pumped up full of spirit all the time, you know. [His ghost sense goes off.] [to himself] Ghost sense? I don't see anything. [He starts shivering.] |
| Jazz | Danny? You're shivering. |
| [She puts a hand on his shoulder, and he runs away.] | |
| Danny | Leave me alone! |
| Jazz | It's worse than I thought. |
| [Suddenly, a random kid grabs her, pointing away.] | |
| Random Kid | A freakishly large hornet! [He screams 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 comes flying to the rescue.] | |
| Danny | Back off, ghost bug! |
| [Bertrand looks up, then phases through the nearest door.] | |
| Jazz | Ghost bug? Wait a minute, that was a ghost? That was two ghosts? |
| [Camera moves outside, where Bertrand and Danny fly out through the wall into the schoolyard.] | |
| Danny | Somebody called for an exterminator? |
| Bertrand | My, you are clever, aren't you? Swat this, big boy. |
| [Bertrand attacks with his stinger, and Danny throws up his arms defensively. The stinger slices his arm and he falls to the ground, clutching it and crying out.] | |
| Danny | I should have gone intangible. Idiot! I'm not getting better at this. I'm getting worse. |
| [Bertrand dives in for a second shot. Danny throws up a shield and Bertrand smashes into it, then jumps away. Danny gets up, brandishing the Fenton Thermos.] | |
| Danny | Alright, pal! Time for you to-- [he looks around. Bertrand has vanished.] Gone. Great. Another bad guy gets away. [He flies up off the ground. We see Jazz watching through a window as Danny hovers in front of it, his back to her.] Maybe Jazz was right. Maybe I am a loser. |
| [Danny flies away, and Jazz turns away from the window.] | |
| Jazz | A ghost? [Grinning excitedly] Wait'll I tell Danny! |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera opens up on Fenton Works, evening lighting.] | |
| Jazz VO | What do you mean, you didn't see a ghost? |
| [Camera moves to Jazz and Danny sitting at the kitchen table.] | |
| Danny | It didn't look like a ghost to me. It just looked like a big bug. So I ran. [bitterly] Like a looooser. |
| Jazz | I was right. You're not going to listen to me, are you? |
| Danny | Nope. |
| Jazz | Well, you don't leave me any choice. [raising her voice, as Danny sits up in alarm] Mom! Dad! Can I talk to you about Danny? |
| Danny | What? Jazz, no! |
| [Jack and Maddie Fenton zip into the kitchen doorway, Jack brandishing the Fenton Peeler.] | |
| Maddie | Is there something wrong with Danny? |
| Jack | Is there a ghost involved? |
| Maddie | [getting up in Danny's grill] Is there something you want to talk about? |
| Jack | That involves ghosts? |
| Danny | [visibly grasping for something to say] I...I... [more enthusiastically] ...actually, yes. Jazz thinks she saw a ghost today. [grinning smugly] Tell them, Jazz. |
| [Behind him, Jazz looks trapped.] | |
| Maddie | WHAT??? [She leapfrogs over Danny, now getting up in Jazz's grill.] Why didn't you tell us??? |
| Jack | It would have been a good chance to try out the portable Fenton Ghost Peeler. [The Peeler gleams.] It tears ghosts apart atom by atom! |
| [He 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.] | |
| Danny | Well, enjoy your chat! |
| Jazz | [groans] |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [In the Casper High hallway, Jazz has cornered a weirded-out-looking Sam and Tucker.] | |
| Jazz | Don't you think he's been acting weird? [Sam and Tucker exchange a glance.] I mean, haven't you noticed how gloomy and negative he's been lately? |
| Tucker | Uh, Jazz, we're Danny's friends. That means we keep his secrets from you. |
| [Jazz reaches into her purse and hands him a $20.] | |
| Tucker | Although... |
| Sam | [Snatching away the money and handing it back to Jazz] We've all got our problems, Jazz. I know you're worried, but Danny's ok. |
| [Camera moves to 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.] | |
| Sam VO | He keeps some things to himself, but it's not like he's doing anything criminal. |
| [Danny starts to walk away, his backpack strap pulling down the handle and setting off the fire alarm. Jazz, Sam, and Tucker turn to look, and the sprinklers go off.] | |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera moves to outside Casper High, where a police cruiser and two fire trucks are parked, and several people are standing around the yard. We zoom in to Lancer confronting Danny, with Jazz, Sam, and Tucker behind them. Everyone is soaked.] | |
| Danny | A month's detention?! But I didn't do anything! |
| Spectra | [Zipping up behind Lancer] Hey, Mr. Lancer! It was an accident. But we're going to take that accident and make it an accid-don't, and learn from it so it never happens again! |
| Danny | But-- |
| Lancer | 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! [posing enthusiastically] |
| [Danny and Spectra exchange a look.] | |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera opens on a close-up of Danny wearing what appears to be a top hat.] | |
| Danny | And this is supposed to help me how? |
| [Camera zooms out to show we're in Spectra's office. 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.] | |
| Spectra | We're gonna help you overcome your fear of being called a baby. |
| Danny | [sitting down] I'm not afraid of being called a baby. I'm afraid of...being called a loser. |
| Spectra | Ahh, and therein lies the problem. You care too much what other people think. |
| [Dash Baxter and two other jocks walk in carrying boxes.] | |
| Dash | Where do you want us to put these banners up, Ms.-- |
| [All three of them stop, surprised. Then Dash grins.] | |
| Dash | Hey guys, check it out. It's the Casper High Spirit Baby. |
| [All three of them laugh.] | |
| Danny | [resignedly] Of course. |
| [He slumps, and Spectra reaches out to touch his shoulder. Once again we see her lined face becoming smoother and more youthful as she feeds off of his misery.] | |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera opens on Elmer's Pharmacy. Inside, we see Valerie and Kwan getting ice cream at the counter.] | |
| Valerie | I don't know. Ms. Spectra says I worry way too much about material possessions. |
| Kwan | At least you'll have them. Spectra says I'm going to grow old, broke, and alone. |
| [The pair walks past our trio sitting at a table, and the camera sticks there. Tucker has 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.] | |
| Tucker | Man, it was brutal making you wear that stupid baby suit. I could hardly watch. Though I did get some good digital pics. [He shows Danny a photo on his PDA, of Danny in the baby suit looking miserable as other students laugh at him.] |
| Danny | Hey, whose side are you on, anyway? |
| Sam | Danny, come on, you know he's kidding. |
| Danny | Ah-- Yeah, I know. [He drops his head into his arms on the table.] I don't get it. [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. |
| Jazz | [walking up] Hey Danny, how's it going? |
| Danny | [crossly] Like you care. Just go away, Jazz. [His ghost sense goes off.] Oh, no. |
| [Danny looks over to the counter, where Paulina is mechanically powdering her face as the store clerk watches.] | |
| Paulina | If my skin's perfect, I'll be perfect. [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 | [to himself] Gotta keep Jazz busy. [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! [Grabbing Jazz by the shoulder and shoving her into his chair] Here, take my seat, [throwing his arm melodramatically over his face] you've already taken my friends. [He races off through the back door of the pharmacy.] |
| Jazz | [jumping up] Danny, wait! [She runs after him.] |
| Sam | [alarmed] Come on! |
| [Sam and Tucker take off after them so fast Sam's tofu cone is left spinning.] | |
| Jazz | [Running up to the back exit door] He went this way. [Looking through the door] I'm sure I can head him off. |
| [As Jazz is looking around the alleyway through the half-open door, Danny goes ghost. Jazz gasps as he launches off and flies away. Then Tucker and Sam come running up the alley, Tucker still holding his ice cream.] | |
| Jazz | Danny?! |
| -----COMMERCIAL BREAK------ | |
| [Camera opens on an upward angle on the sky, with Danny flying away in ghost form. We zoom back to see Tucker, Sam, and Jazz all staring after him. First Tucker then Sam turn and notice Jazz standing there.] | |
| Jazz | Did you see that?? [Running over to them] Tell me I didn't see what I just saw. |
| Tucker | [cringing] It's not what you think, Jazz. |
| Sam | [Grabbing Tucker's ice cream and stuffing it in his mouth] Of course it's not. Ghosts aren't real. Jazz, you sound like your father. |
| [Jazz stares at them quizzically, then looks suspicious.] | |
| Sam VO Flashback | He keeps some things to himself. |
| Tucker VO Flashback | We're Danny's friends. That means we keep his secrets from you. |
| [Jazz's eyes widen as she realizes they know exactly what she just saw, and that they're covering up for him.] | |
| Sam | ...Jazz? |
| Jazz | Oh. Oh, of course! [Fakes a laugh] My parents are such loons, it's rubbing off! [Babbling and checking her watch] Oh my gosh, is it that late? I've gotta work on my Spirit Week speech. [She runs off.] |
| [Tucker and Sam both sigh in relief.] | |
| [Camera goes back inside the pharmacy, where Danny is flying intangibly. Bertrand cozies up behind Paulina.] | |
| Paulina | Do you mind? I was here-- [she turns and sees the ghost] --first? |
| Bertrand | RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR! |
| [Paulina and the clerk scream. Danny comes zipping in to the rescue, kicking Bertrand into a sunglasses display and landing. Bertrand growls at him.] | |
| Danny | I know you need your makeup, but you're just gonna have to wait your turn. |
| [Bertrand backhands him off-screen, then shoots an ectoblast that Danny narrowly escapes, instead vaporizing a book display. Shoppers are starting to notice the fight. Danny dodges more ectoblasts as people start to run around screaming, and Tucker and Sam come back inside. Bertrand punches Danny into a wall of backpacks.] | |
| Bertrand | You're not very good at this, are you? |
| Danny | [Getting back up] Yeah, well, maybe I don't need to be to beat you! |
| [Grinning, Bertrand melts down into a wolf form and pounces, managing to take a bite out of Danny's tail and cornering him.] | |
| Danny | Then again-- |
| Tucker | Hey, get away from him! |
| [Wolf Bertrand turns away from Danny, going to attack Tucker and Sam.] | |
| Tucker | Or, don't. Seriously, it's open for discussion. |
| Danny | No! You leave them alone! |
| [He tackles Wolf Bertrand and they roll, ending up with Bertrand on top. Danny struggles to get up but can't move.] | |
| Bertrand | [mockingly] Oh, look. The little loser ghost has a few baby helpers. |
| Danny |
[So mad his eye twitches] Do...not..call..me...a LOSER!!! |
| [Danny manages to throw Bertrand off and into a glass display case. He shoots an ectoblast at him, but Bertrand dodges and he destroys the case instead. The pharmacy is now in shambles.] | |
| Bertrand | [Melting back into pickle form] Well, that's enough damage for one afternoon. [He flies off through the ceiling.] Ta-ta! |
| [We see Jazz through the window, looking first up where Bertrand has vanished and then back down toward Danny.] | |
| Tucker | [Looking around at the wreckage] I sure hope they're insured. |
| Danny | [dejected] Great, he got away again. Another ringing endorsement for the town screw-up. |
| [He flies off, and Tucker and Sam exchange an unhappy look. We then see Danny phase through the roof outside, and Jazz watching him fly away.] | |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Fenton Works, at night. Danny is sitting alone at the kitchen table with an untouched dinner plate, playing with his fork and looking depressed. Jazz comes to the doorway and stares at him.] | |
| Danny | [noticing her staring at him] What? |
| Jazz | Nothing. |
| [Walking over, she examines him closely then pinches him.] | |
| Danny | [Flinching] Ugh! What?! |
| Jazz | Nothing! Uh, so, uh, Danny, [Danny rubs his pinched arm, frowning] I know I've been kind of hard on you lately, [she sits on the table] but you know I think you're great, right? |
| Danny | Yeah right. That's not what I hear. |
| Jazz | 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... |
| [Danny is listening with a dreamy smile.] | |
| Jazz | ...You know, you can stop me at any time. |
| Danny | I know. |
| Jazz | [sighing] All I'm saying is I'm your sister and I care about you. [putting a hand on his shoulder] And even though you don't think I'll understand, you can talk to me about anything. |
| Danny | [Looking away, like he's seriously considering it] Um... |
| [Suddenly there is a loud crash, startling both Danny and Jazz. They run to the opening overlooking the living room to find the couch half destroyed and smoking. The camera zooms out to show Jack wielding the Fenton Peeler and Maddie looking on.] | |
| Jack | I'm just saying, if we can find that ghost at Jazz's school, we're gonna peel that ghost like an onion! |
| Maddie | Well we can't completely vaporize it. Don't you want to at least examine the remains? |
| [Pan back to Jazz and Danny, looking vaguely alarmed, with Jazz's hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny frowns and shrugs it off.] | |
| Danny | I don't feel like talking about it. [walks away and crosses his arms sulkily] |
| Jazz | [resignedly] Yeah, I'd imagine not. |
| [Going over to him, she kisses the top of his head then walks away. Danny looks surprised for a moment then smiles after her. Then, on second thought,] | |
| Danny | Oh, gross! |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Camera opens on Casper High, then goes to the trio, standing around Danny's locker.] | |
| Sam | Uh, is it just me, or is this the worst Spirit Week in the history of Casper High Spirit Weeks? |
| [Pan to show a hallway of depressed-looking students, then to Dash and Kwan looking rather worse for the wear.] | |
| Dash | Another day, another 24 hours closer to a career of pumping gas. |
| Kwan | At least you'll have a job. Apparently, I'm gonna end up a hobo. I didn't even know they had hobos anymore! |
| [Camera goes to Paulina and Valerie, looking similarly depressed as they walk past our trio.] | |
| Paulina | Did you know wrinkles can start emerging as your mid-twenties? |
| Danny | 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. |
| [Camera goes to Jazz running down the hallway looking delighted] | |
| Danny VO | What the heck is she so happy about? |
| [Camera comes back to the trio.] | |
| Sam | Don't ask me. I'm usually the sour one around here. But compared to everyone else, I'm the goth bird of happiness. |
| Tucker | Me too! And we're the only two people in this school who haven't had a session with Dr. Spectra. |
| Danny | [perking up] Wait a minute. [grabbing Tucker's PDA] Let me see something. [He opens one of the pictures of himself in the baby suit.] |
| Tucker | Uh...I was gonna delete that. |
| Danny | Glad you didn't. Look at that. [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? |
| Sam | Only one way to find out. |
| [Camera goes to Spectra's door. It slams open to show Tucker and Sam, looking terrible.] | |
| Tucker | I hate my life. |
| Sam | I hate your life more. |
| [Spectra comes up to the doorway as they trudge off, her face older and lined.] | |
| Spectra | Buh-bye! And remember, there's only an 'I" in "misery" if you spell it that way! [Slams the door] |
| [Invisible, Danny flies through the door into the office. He finds Spectra in a swirl of ghost energy, breathing it in and becoming younger-looking in the process.] | |
| Spectra | Ahhh. Man, that's good. [Sitting on the desk] I'm gonna miss these kids. [Shuffling through Tucker and Sam's student profiles on the desk] They're a waterfall of misery. |
| [Pickle Bertrand flies through the wall.] | |
| Spectra | There you are. You hooked up the device? |
| Bertrand | 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! |
| [Danny, still invisible, listens in horror. The bell rings, making them all look up.] | |
| Spectra | Well, there's the bell. Shall we go hear a speech and bum some more kids out? |
| [The two merge into a single blob of ecto-energy and zap through the wall. Danny lands, becoming visible again.] | |
| Danny | Jazz! |
| ---SCENE BREAK--- | |
| [Open on the Casper High gym. Everyone looks depressed.] | |
| Cheerleaders | [lackluster] 2...4...6...8... |
| Lancer | Hey! What's the matter with you kids! You call that a cheer? [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.] | |
| Jazz | [at the podium] Ok... |
| [Camera goes to Spectra and Human Bertrand, walking down the hall.] | |
| Bertrand | After we've destroyed everything, you up for a cappuccino? |
| Spectra | Ooh, that's a marvelous idea-- |
| [Suddenly an ectoblast knocks Bertrand off-screen. Spectra looks after him in surprise, then turns to find Danny Phantom hovering in the hall behind her.] | |
| Danny | I figured it out, finally. You feed on misery, don't you? |
| Spectra | I'm sorry, can I help you? |
| Danny | No, I'm sure you can't. You can't help anyone except yourself. |
| [Spectra lunges for him, but he dodges, going around behind her.] | |
| Danny | You find that one thing that a kid's most afraid of [Spectra listens in amusement] -- their future, their looks, their confidence -- [he 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! |
| Bertrand | Hey! |
| Spectra | [Clapping] Very good. [Her eyes flash red, and a purple ring of fire flares up around her] But I fear you've missed a few details! [the fire turns to purple smoke, and she shifts into her all-black form, flying at him with both hands glowing with ecto-energy. Danny rears back, startled, and yells, then Wolf Bertrand tackles him, sending both of them intangibly through the wall.] |
| [Meanwhile, back in the 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.] | |
| Jazz | 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 [pan to the ray guns]. |
| Lancer | [Looks around and is met with silence. He throws his arms in the air energetically.] Woooo! |
| [Once again, there are crickets in the audience. Lancer reaches down to knock over the first domino, and the row starts to fall.] | |
| [Outside, Wolf Bertrand knocks Danny through the wall and pins him to a tree.] | |
| Bertrand | You thought you were going to stop us? You? You're just a frightened little kid! [He swipes at Danny with his claws, but Danny goes intangible and phases through the tree at the last second. Bertrand looks around for him and Danny phases up through the ground, punching him and sending him flying over the building. Suddenly Spectra grabs him around the neck from behind.] |
| Danny | Let go of me! |
| Spectra | Why would I do that? Your doubt, your misery, it's delicious. [They 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 you here to take the blame. And by the time I'm done with you, you'll be sure it was all your fault! |
| Danny | Man, I am so tired of you dumping on me. And I am so tired of dumping on myself. Jazz never did that, even when I was mad at her. [throwing off Spectra] And I won't let her down! |
| Spectra | Bertrand! Sic him! |
| [Wolf Bertrand phases back through the school, shape shifting into a ninja. Danny gives him a flat look as he perches on a tree branch and whirls a set of nun chunks around for several seconds.] | |
| Danny | I so don't have time for this. [Pulling the Thermos off his back, he uncaps it and sucks up Bertrand.] |
| Bertrand | No! Aaaahhhh! |
| [Danny grins at Spectra and rattles the Thermos around.] | |
| Spectra | You're through! [Lunging at him] |
| Danny | And you're done telling me what to do! [Flying around behind her, he grabs Spectra by the tail and throws her into a nearby Dumpster. He smiles triumphantly for a moment, then realizes what he's forgotten.] Jazz! |
| [Going intangible, he zips through the wall and drags Jazz out of the way and through another wall just as the last domino triggers the ray guns, barely avoiding the podium being blasted. They land in the back hallway, staring at each other. Suddenly, Spectra grabs him from behind and yanks him into a storage room.] | |
| Spectra | [seizing his head] Look at you. [Danny tries to open the thermos, and she knocks it away.] What are you? A ghost trying to fit in with humans? Or some creepy little boy with creepy little powers? |
| [Jazz comes to the doorway, clenching her fists angrily.] | |
| Danny | Both! Uh...neither! I don't know. |
| Spectra | You're a freak! Not a ghost, not a boy! [Danny starts glowing green with ecto-energy, which Spectra absorbs. She drops him and he falls to the ground, disoriented.] Who cares for a thing like you? |
| Jazz | Excuse me. |
| [Danny looks up in surprise.] | |
| Jazz | I don't know this kid, but I hope it's ok if he gets a second opinion. [She holds up the Fenton Ghost Peeler and activates it. Armor starts to encase her.] ...This is weird. |
| [Completely suited up, she 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.] | |
| Danny | Talk about having nothing within. |
| Spectra | [Feeling her face] Aaahh, nooo! I am nothing without my youth! |
| [She screams more as Danny sucks her into the Fenton Thermos.] | |
| Jazz | [Powering down the Peeler and looking at it.] Hey, it worked! But it's still weird. [She walks up to Danny, who flinches back.] |
| Danny | Uh...uh... |
| Jazz | [Smile turning into a blank look, and then a ludicrously fake look of fear] Ahhh. Ghost. [Running to the door, she pauses and looks back] You'd better go. |
| [Danny sighs in relief, turns, and walks right into a stack of boxes.] | |
| Danny | Oh. Uh, right. [Going intangible, he flies off.] |
| Jazz | [Turning away from the doorway] He can tell me when he's ready. |
| Lancer | Miss Fenton, [running up with the pom-poms] you're needed. |
| [They return to the gym to find the entire student body pumped up and chanting "Jazz! Jazz! Jazz!"] | |
| Tucker | Hey, she's ok! |
| Lancer | Ahh, everybody's mood has lifted, as though some gloomy malevolence has been shooed away. [The camera pans over the stands, showing Danny sitting with his friends and smiling. He waves at Jazz.] Your disappearing act worked marvelously. They've got their spirit back. |
| [Camera goes to Danny, flying happily over Amity Park at night.] | |
| Jazz VO | They're not the only ones, Mr. Lancer. They're not the only ones.
[Jazz watches Danny Phantom flying away from her bedroom window and smiles.] |
| -------END CREDITS------- |
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Transcripts | Next: Shades of Gray |