This is my first full original story on Danny Phantom, published right on the twelfth anniversary of "Bitter Reunion" airing (and as it is, Vlad has a special appearance in this chapter), hope you all enjoy this!
Category: Family, Hurt/Comfort, Revelation Multi-chapter Fic.
Chapter 01_To the Rescue!
It had all started with a simply "free" weekend.
"Free" only for the teen children of the Fenton family, because Madeline and Jack, ghost hunters, inventors and proud parents had deemed appropriate to organize a married-couple-quality-time-weekend outdoor… Of course researching a strange phenomenon occurring in a mountain region not much far away from Amity Park. Rumors said that in several caves troubled echoing voices could be heard without actual inhabitants inside of them. The locals claimed that they belonged to trekkers or lumbermen lost and/or died during snowstorms, but none of them had ever actually seen a glimpse of those ectoplasm "scum" (as the hunters would say).
While that normally would have been enough to drag the whole family to the search, the need of alone time for the couple and the punishment (AKA grounded time) given to their sixteen -almost seventeen- year son for breaking the curfew of all the schooldays nights had prevented the idea.
– Okay sweethearts, we'll come back Sunday evening! The meals are in the fridge and the ghost-weapons are closed in the vault in case of necessity. – explained Maddie, handing her husband a bag of equipment to load on the RV. – Remember, we're trusting you with the house and only in extreme necessity with ghost-hunting… But if it's too dangerous you must call us and we'll come back pronto, okay? – a concerned expression colored the face of the woman in blue-black hazmat suit.
– Don't worry mom, the Ecto-shield works well. We will be alright between that and the homework we both have to do – Jazz, the oldest of the Fenton's offspring, sent a meaningful glance at her brother, who sighed deeply and looked elsewhere, resigned.
– Okay then. – Maddie breathed in relief, turning afterwards towards her son – And you mister remember you're still grounded – she pointed severely at his chest and he nodded without looking at her, pouting with crossed arms.
– We're good to go Maddi-e, you ready? – boomed Jack from the driver seat of the RV.
– Yes honey, I'm coming! – assured the woman who cheerily went and hug her daughter, murmuring her other warnings. When she was freed, the hunter turned to her son who was trying and failing to look furtively at her. He seemed wary for some reasons…
Frowning, she reached forward to hug him too, but he snuck away uneasily. As an afterthought he mumbled he was no longer a baby, but he wasn't looking at her, like often he did when he was lying. Maddie sighed and entered in the RV, from where she waved at their children who returned the goodbye. Jack was a little more energetic and vocal so several passerby winced for his loud tone even from meters away. Then the very same people had to scramble away as the craziest driver in Amity Park turned the vehicle on and departed with the usual roar of the engine and the obliviousness of the traffic laws existence.
Neither of the four knew it would be the beginning of an (more than usually) unusual experience.
D ~O¤O~ Jz
Jazz waited till the parents' vehicle had disappeared to turn towards her brother, mildly annoyed. – What was that for? ‒ she demanded.
It was the boy's turn to look annoyed. – She was wearing the Specter Deflector! Do you pretend that I had to go and be electrocuted? – he gestured to the general direction where their parents were gone and comprehension dawned on his sister's face.
– Oh. Sorry Danny – the redhead girl ruffled sympathetically the halfa's hair and absently guided him inside the strangest building of the town, AKA their house.
The duo strolled to the living room where the older one sat at the coffee table, ready to resume reading a psychology book, while the other sprawled himself on the couch with an exhausted sigh.
– You went outside again last night after we came back from patrol, didn't you? – Jazz asked lazily opening her book, but carefully looking at her brother. He didn't even open his eyes as he nodded.
– Yeah, I was almost asleep when my Ghost Sense went off. You were already so collapsed on your bed that I didn't want to wake you up. – he sighed deeply. – I had to catch the Box Ghost six times before the seventh I threatened to go into the Ghost Zone and call Pandora to deal with him… – Danny paused, slightly frowning. – Last time I looked at the clock I think it was at half past five.
Jazz huffed, a bit resented to be left behind but also a bit grateful for the preserved rest. – Then have a nap, I'll warn you if something happens. – she reassured him earning a relieved breath. If he was showing this "weakness" (men and their will to never make themselves look vulnerable) it was a statement about how exhausted he was.
– Okay, sis. – a few minutes later Danny was already out like a bulb, making his sister both worried and relieved that he would catch up with some rest… And above all heal.
Even before the later solo night stroll, she had to patch him up: the halfa had took quite a beating during Team Phantom's patrol (luckily nothing broken, but he had needed a dozen stiches with the Ecto-line and lots of bandages). She dreaded to think of the other ghosts Danny had encountered and hadn't wanted to mention besides the Box Ghost.
Jazz shook herself from those thoughts and resumed her reading, keeping near a discarded (by her mother) later-modified Fenton Finder set on mute. The radar had now a wider range and classified Phantom's friendly Ecto-signature differently from others, making it easier to track him across the town and possible for Jazz to hide it on the screen with a secret switch if the device would be ever needed by her parents.
Almost three years after the activation of the Ghost Portal, things seemed to have become a little easier, but maybe it was just a matter of practice. After the first months of clumsy attempts at helping her brother and his friends, Jazz had developed her own set of skills: she was the most proficient with the Ghost Peeler, she had been the one to have the idea of isolate Phantom's and Plasmius's (just for the Danny's sake) unique signatures and make them untraceable by their parents' devices and even her aim with the Thermos had improved. She trapped Danny only once a couple of months now!
The redhead casted a glance toward the sleeping form and wis- nope, nope, NOPE! (Desiree could be around and she didn't want to risk) …And she hoped he would rest enough without interferences.
Few hours later (she should have made that wish after all) a red blinking light from the Finder alerted Jazz of the arrival of three ghost in the city range. True, they could be only passerby, it happened sometimes, so she waited, observing their movements. The trio came from WNW and pointed directly to the centre of the town… To the "major" house! Where they Vlad's minions? Well, if she recalled correctly he did have three vultures as henchmen. Had they returned from a mission?
Quietly Jazz snuck into the weapon vault and retrieved the laptop where there was the link of the bugs they had placed around "Vladdie"'s hideout after his almost murder of Danielle, just in case he wouldn't try something like that again.
The psychologist in training turned the pc on and submitting the password ("Team Phantom", yes, she was that cheesy sometimes) clicked the direct link and watched warily.
The major was working (evil-halfa he may be, but at least he did indeed work) at his desk when three vultures -she was right!- phased through the ceiling and landed in front of the man. The white haired man seemed pleased by their entrance as he greeted them.
− How did the survey go? − he asked, eyes glinting.
− Spooky, − answered the spoke-decrepit-bird of the trio − there's so much raw unfocused Ecto-energy that a minimal trigger could initiate unfathomable consequences.
− True, in all my undead life I've only seen something like this only on Earth abandoned battlefields or places of mass murders − added the specter on the left side of the screen.
− Could it possibly even cause a lethal incident? − Vlad asked delighted.
− It's even certain! − cawed the third vulture, as dread settled in the redhead stomach.
− Magnificent! In this way I won't even need to move a finger to get my revenge! Pity Maddie will get involved too, but alas, by now she's far too gone to convince her that I'm the man of her life… − the halfa stood, raising his arms in self-satisfaction. − Though after the tragedy their poor children wouldn't have anywhere to go; and who would adopt them? Me! And I'll gain at last my apprentice and a lovely intelligent daughter!
Jazz jackknifed the laptop shut with a slam, leaving it on the vault table as she ran to the phone, trying to reach her parents.
"The number you called is turned off or unreachable…" the automatic voice shot a spike of worry in her stomach. Her parents would be in trouble if she couldn't warn them! The girl rushed in the lab to take the Specter Speeder, only to find it half dismantled on the floor. There was a note pinned on its flank that read "To Jack: repair the Speeder once you return from the trip. Jack."
Jazz facepalmed hard, holding a frustrated shriek at his father's idiocy. Why now of all moments?! There was only another solution left. The redhead run back into the living room and hesitated just slightly at the peacefully sleeping form of his brother before crouching down and gently shacking him awake.
Danny shot up, ready for a fight, -experience had taught him Constant Vigilance, even in his sleep (if he ever got it)- and scanned his surrounding, zeroing his gaze on his sister near him.
− Go ghost, you have to take us to mom and dad! − she urged him, standing up.
− Wha- why? − still a bit dazed from the little sleep, he stared at her, uncomprehending her request.
− We don't have time, do it! − she ordered urgently. The boy, probably sensing her panic, obeyed and a white flash later he hovered in front of her in all his ectoplasm glory. − Wait outside, I'll lock the house.
Phantom nodded and phased outside, invisible, while the girl run and took the remote lock-down locket, similar to the one she had for the RV. Jazz joined her (still invisible) brother outside the front door seconds later and clicked the Total Lock Down button. Several metal clangs sounded inside as she offered the air her hand. The ghost sensation of being gently but firmly seized by her wrist was followed the next instant with being spirited away, becoming invisible herself.
− What direction was the place again? − the halfa asked Jazz as they rose above the buildings level.
− West-North-West! − she said, but then gasped − It was the same direction the vultures came from! − the girl then cried alarmed, connecting the dots.
− Vultures? As Vlad's Vultures? − Phantom asked as they sped towards the pointed direction.
− Yeah, I saw them coming in town with the Finder, so I spied on them with the bugs. Those spooky mountains mom and dad went to are more dangerous than we and them imagined! − Jazz clung around the invisible halfa's arm, still a bit uneasy about the see-trough colorlessness that she could "see" of their body in that state. − One of them said that anything could trigger a surely fatal reaction!
Her brother cursed quietly and sped up exponentially. − If we're here, they didn't answered the phone, right? − he then asked.
− Right, but I don't know if it's because there's no signal up on the mountains, the batteries are dead or... − she trailed, omitting what else could probably be deceased. The teen boy grunted in answer and did another burst of speed: they would reach their destination in matter of minutes now, instead of hours of driving.
M ~O¤O~ Jk
− Have you already set the camp? − Maddie asked her husband as she fumbled with some gadgets in the backseat of the RV.
− All ready Maddi-e! Even the Fenton Arecibo is assembled and already pointed to the mountain. − Jack assured her, setting a kettle on the gas burner.
− You should turn off the fire then, we're going in − the ghost huntress lifted a backpack over her shoulder and closed the RV, locking it up. They were alone in that area, but one can never be too careful.
Jack looked disappointed, he was just about to make tea! However, instead of arguing, he uncharacteristically sighed and turned it off, just to bright up again at the idea of discovering a ghost secret. He took a backpack too and together with his wife trekked towards the nearest cave, the one said to be the most active in supernatural phenomena.
Their pack held each: a canteen, some emergency supplies and a first aid kit (all of them the basic essentials in foreign terrain), a blanket (they weren't out of winter quite yet), a reel of Ecto-line and a back-up Ecto-gun; Maddie also had the spy-like shooting lipstick and an extra Specter Deflector (in case one of the ones on their waist could break), while Jack took an emergency reserve of fudge and a Jack-O-Ninetales. On their wrist there were watch-like devices that were directly linked with the Specter Arecibo, a radio-antenna placed at the centre of their campsite. The compact-pc were able to both show the results of the radio-scans and direct the machine from the distance. Furthermore both hunters had a notebook to sign down their findings.
Once at the cave mouth Jack and Maddie started observing the physical make-up of the rocky surface. They were scientists and while their studies were focused on supernatural events, they still held their general scientific knowledge. More than often ghosts activities were related to the environment or the significance of the haunted place. In a forest (even just for survival), they had to know the fauna which could turn into "ectoplasmic scum"; near a lake, the composition of the solutes dissolved in water (to study if there were connections between the copper percentage and the ghost that infested the area) and so on.
In this case the rock, which the cave was dug in, was part of a huge layer of limestone, which was generally more prone to erosion. The levels above and under were sturdier, because in the past the area had been geologically active, so there were several magmatic intrusion (called plutons) in the mountain.
− What do you think honey? Granites with copper deposits above and under? − Maddie asked, squinting at the rocks.
− Yep, I think so. I believe they could function as a capacitor, but instead of a normal electrostatic field that generates electricity, there could be a thinner separation between our world and the Ghost Zone, so this place could feed it with "natural" ectoplasm, the kind not generated by actual ghosts. − the inventor speculated while making some sketches to remind himself of the idea in the future. It's to be noted that Jack never had been unintelligent (he got a degree to prove it!), however he usually had the attention span of a sparrow (sans when he was too focused in inventing something and chasing ghosts, of course) and was prone to distractions... And like every Fenton in certain fields (variable from individual to individual) was clueless.
− So there could be a natural portal at the end of the cave? − his wife paused in her own sketch, interested.
− We can scan the cave before see it by ourselves. We dunno if there's a laby-rintho of tunnels inside − he nodded. Even if he was overeager most of the times, the Fenton patriarch had learned after all the incidents in the last almost three years that a dose of wariness was the key to not mess up everything (much).
− Okay, let me adjust the aim − Maddie agreed and remotely moved the Arecibo with her wrist-device. It took few minutes before she lifted her gaze from the screen − Okay, ready to go.
− Aaaand fi- −started eagerly Jack, his index millimeters from the ON button, when a shout in the distance halted his motion.
Both adult frowned, glancing at each other, before turning to the direction of the cry...
... Just to catch sight of their children run towards them, with such a haste that was like a ghost was chasing them.
− Jazz? Danny? What are you doing here? − Maddie asked disbelieving as the teens reached them, slightly out of breath.
− It's too dangerous here, we have to go back home! − the younger redhead stopped in front of her father, hands on her knees to catch air.
− What do you mean Jazzy-pants? − the man asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
− She overheard a ghost saying that if anything triggers the raw energy in this place, things will go BOOM! − Danny answered in her place. A visible shiver shook his entire frame, making his eyes go wide. − Com'on, we don't want to take risks!
Impulsively he grabbed his mother's wrist, to drag her away, however doing so he also inadvertently pressed the Arecibo ON button.
Three, partly sonic, partly ectoplasmic, waves were emitted by the invention and hit the mountain wall. The Ecto-like electric field, with such supercharged impulse, overloaded and instantly shot ecto-electric arcs all along the mountain flank. Micro-cracks already present widened and while the sonic part of the waves made the rock shake, the freed fragments lost their equilibrium.
Then gravity did all the work.
A huge rockslide rolled down the mountain, generating a deafening rumble.
Twins "LOOK OUT!" were barely heard as two almighty pushes launched the hunters in the cave (the last safe place left at that moment) and everything went dark.
A/N. Okay, a cliffhanger, sorry. ^^' Though I had to catch you readers attention in a way or another xD
There were those much scientific babbles because I was trying to be as realistic as it could be possible even if we're in a "cartoonish world" and after all I think it wasn't that out of place... At least I hope you too think so. xD
Thanks for reading and type ya soon!