A/N: Well, here is another little story that's similar to the style that I love: the DP series style! Underneath, y'all know, I love action and quirkly humor. And I came up with this little story in an attempt to hone that style. My favorite kind of comedy is wit, followed by comedy of errors, which is what I based this story on ( and I actually wrote this WAY before PP was aired and WAY before "His Own Worst Enemy". In fact, I pushed it aside to post HOWE first, and don't want to hurt its feelings any longer!). But I realize from this story that writing strictly comedy, for me, IS SO HARD! But I still made a stab at it, and I don't think I fell too hard face-first into that pie… And a big thanks for Angelus-alvus once again for helping me come up with the summary. Thanks for your e-ear, my friend! Remember: computer to write with: $800.00; posting on FF: free: Your input—as always: priceless!

...Now, a little background: We've already seen in "Torrent of Terror" that Danny can now replicate himself. But, didn't ya ever wonder how Danny got the ability to duplicate himself in the FIRST place and when it actually happened? Well, this story has the exclusive scoop, the whole terrifying truth! And it happened, of course, WAY before TT but after my own stories, "Bewerewulfed", "Brace Yourself" and "A MiniReview". (And don't worry if you haven't read those yet. Danny got his wulf claw power in "Bewerewulfed" and his supersonic speed in "Brace Yourself". And everyone got crammed and then uncrammed in "A MiniReview". If you want to find out how all that happened, be my guest and take a peek at them! …But whenever you get confused with an obscure reference to those stories in this story, just accept the referred fact as "true"!)

So, read on—if you dare—and, of course, ENJOY!

Rumor Has It

(The Terrifying Truth!)

Prologue

It was another boring day for the students and another irritating day for the teachers at Casper High. But in the teachers' lounge, one teacher in particular was neither bored nor irritated at the moment, even though his exaggerated enthusiasm was beginning to needle those listening to him.

"Can you believe it? She picked our school over all the rest!" Mr. Lancer blurted out, so excited that he was having a hard time catching his breath.

Mr. Falluca, the math teacher, sighed, and rolled his eyes. Thinking that the "Chinese Water Torture" would be ticklish compared to what Mr. Lancer was raving about, the suffering math teacher tried to refocus his line of vision away from his corpulent cohort. But then he groaned when he spied the huge sign announcing the upcoming Mardi Gras Masquerade Dance. More torture. It was his turn to chaperone that one, and that reminder, as well as Mr. Lancer's blathering, was getting the best of him. Finally, Mr. Falluca halfheartedly remarked, "But do you think the kids will be as excited?"

Slightly perturbed at his colleague's lack of oomph over his idea, Mr. Lancer answered, "How could they not be? She's a goddess, a guru…"

"She's all that?" Mr. Falluca interrupted with an incredulous scowl.

Everyone else in the room tried to huddle as far from the scene as they could. They couldn't believe how brave Mr. Falluca really must be.

Mr. Lancer breathlessly replied, "That and more! She will simply mesmerize them!"

Still unconvinced and fighting his apathy, Mr. Falluca remarked, "But the kids don't even know who she is!"

"Of course they do!" Mr. Lancer insisted, "Watching the cooking channel is—what do the kids say? oh, that's right: 'where it was'—and has got to be the epitome of the educational experience! The way she moves when she's cutting those onions...The way she throws those seasonings in her pot...Ahhh! And then that honey voice of hers! Every word that she utters—and especially when she is telling us her secrets—just drips from her lips with delicately sweet and delectable finesse." He stopped a moment to sigh and then added, "Think of the culinary horizons she can lay at our students' feet!"

The math teacher actually began to feel sick. Finally, he rolled his eyes again and slowly responded, "Well, I don't know…"

Mr. Lancer frowned in frustration and said, "It's our duty, Frank! Besides, if we refuse her, she will never offer again!"

Exasperation finally flowing from his mouth, Mr. Falluca uttered, "But Fanny Dempton is only a cook!"

Meanwhile, Paulina and Starr, two of the most meddlesome and popular girls in the school, were passing by the teachers' lounge when they couldn't help but hear the barely audible one-sided conversation that was emanating from the room. They, of course, stopped and attentively eavesdropped just as they sort of heard Mr. Falluca's last muttering. But unfortunately for the snoopy girls, the rest of the conversation was muffled.

Mr. Lancer was mortified at Mr. Falluca's last comment. "Fanny Dempton's a chef!" He gasped. "And her pot roast is a joy to every taste bud! In fact, that's her specialty: "Pot Roast Joy". And she has offered to serve it at the upcoming Mardi Gras masquerade dance! Isn't that just delicious?" Reflexively rubbing his stomach with the thought, Mr. Lancer sighed with anticipated satisfaction.

But Mr. Falluca just groaned; and seeing that his fellow teacher was still unconvinced, Mr. Lancer began his whole tirade all over again.

In the meantime, Paulina and Starr, straining to hear, excitedly whispered between themselves.

"Who or what are they talking about?" Starr hoarsely whispered.

Paulina, still straining to hear, quietly answered, "I'm not sure, but I think Mr. Falluca said something about Danny Fenton's being a…book?"

Starr skewed up her face in confused doubt. "What? That doesn't make sense! Anyhow, who cares anyway? But I thought they were talking about a boy named Marty Draw and his square pants, or was that dishes?"

"UGH! No, don't tell me that! They can't mean that stupid sponge? That definitely doesn't make sense; and...they can't be that dumb! We have to listen some more!" Pauline quietly hissed, as they pressed their ears to the door.

Starr then blurted out, "Oh, I know! They're talking about a boy name 'Roast'!"

"That can't be right!" Paulina objected.

Hearing only an occasional word, Starr complained, "Boy, are they going on and on!"

Which, of course the teachers were, especially since Mr. Lancer was sounding more and more like a broken CD. And Mr. Falluca was sounding more and more exasperated.

Suddenly, Paulina gasped as the idea hit her. "That's it! They said that Danny Fenton is the Pot Ghost Boy!"

Chapter 1—Getting Started

Danny, Sam and Tucker had just turned the corner when they saw Paulina and Starr actually kneeling with their ears hugging the teachers' lounge door. As they drew nearer, it was obvious that the two girls were so totally engrossed and were so excited with what they were doing that they didn't see or hear the three friends approach.

Irritated at the scene, Sam blurted out, "People can always sink lower!"

Her comment startled the two girls and they jumped in response and turned toward the voice that surprised them.

But Paulina couldn't believe it was Danny who was looking at her instead of the girl whose voice she thought she heard. Her jolted expression then melted immediately into a romantic one and she batted her eyes, stood up—still batting her eyes, of course— and stepped toward him. Giggling and shoving Sam rudely aside, she snuggled up to him, while Starr did the same to Tucker, who was more than happy about it and snuggled back. Danny, however, stood nervously, both pleased and scared stiff. After all, it was Paulina snuggling.

Gushing with her flirty giggle, Paulina emoted, "Oh, hello, there, Danny! I didn't see you! But then again, you can make that possible, right?"

"Ah, ah, what did you say?" He stammered nervously, truthfully bewildered.

Paulina's giggle continued, but its tone changed to that of an "in-the-know-about-your-secret" kind of laugh. "Oh, never mind, you! You don't have to be that clever with me!"

But before Danny could say anything else, Paulina pushed him playfully away and turned to her satillite. "C'mon, Starr! Let's get the juice started!"

Much to Tucker's chagrin, Starr immediately shoved Tucker rudefully away and followed her friend.

As she watched in disgust as Paulina and Starr left, Sam growled, "What's wrong with them?"

Tucker, reacting dreamily to the encounter, replied, "I don't know, but I hope they keep making that mistake!"

Danny, however, shrugged it off and said, "Well, girls can be so fickle, you know."

"Ignoring that, for now," Sam frowned, her voice still having an edge to it.

Noticing that about Sam, Tucker nervously blurted out, "Let's not go there…." And pointing to Mr. Lancer's classroom, added, "….but let's go there!"

And all three entered the classroom.