The Hunter's Revenge
Chapter 1: Let the Games Begin and 'War Pigs'
Well folks, I'm back for another Danny and Ember story. I honestly thought I was done with the pair but I feel that I have at least one more good story left in me. So without further ado, let the story begin. I do not own Danny Phantom or 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath. R&R and Enjoy!
***10 PM, The Ghost Zone***
While the rest of the Ghost Zone was silent as the grave, a lone Specter Speeder was zooming past floating doors and rocks. Had this been a year ago, the residents of the Ghost Zone may have tried to take it down and destroy it's occupants. Now, since the marriage of Danny Phantom and Ember McLain, things calmed down quite a bit. Currently, Danny, Ember, Sam, and Tucker were returning to Ember's realm from a concert she had just finished. Tucker was driving while the other three were rocking out to the voice of Ozzy Osbourne on the radio.
Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh lord yeah!
"Mind if I change the station? I can only take so much rock for one night." Tucker said in a weary voice, reaching over for the tuner.
"NO!" the three yelled at him.
"Fine." Tucker replied, sulking in his chair. "We're almost there anyways."
Danny, Ember, and Sam ignored him as they returned to the song. As Ember's realm got closer, Tucker noticed that the door was wide open. From what Danny and Ember had told them, Dani and Youngblood were looking after the twins. So why would they leave the realm door open? Even if they were playing with the kids, it was well past their bed time.
Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor
"Uh, guy? You might want to look at this." Tucker said, only to be ignored.
Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'til their judgement day comes
Yeah!
Deciding this was more important than being yelled at, Tucker turned off the radio.
"What the hell, Tucker?" Sam said.
Ignoring her, Tuck turned to Danny and Ember and said, "Did you guys leave the door open?"
"No." Ember replied, confused. "The twins are supposed to be in bed. There is no reason for our realm door to be open."
Phasing out the the Specter Speeder, Danny and Ember flew through the door and noticed immediately that something was wrong. The house was trashed. Not the "Someone threw a party" trashed but the "I hate you and this is revenge" trashed. All the pictures of Danny, Ember, and the twins were either burned or torn to shreds. The couch was ruined, the table was smashed, and stuffing was everywhere.
"Dani! Youngblood!" Danny yelled, flying up to the second floor of the realm. Ember quickly followed while Sam and Tucker cautiously entered the realm.
"Damn." Tucker said. "Who could have done this?"
"They must really hate Danny and Ember to cause all this damage." Sam replied. "I mean, I'm still not happy that they got together but I managed to deal with it."
Tucker gave her a dirty look. "I thought you were past this, Sam. Its been over a year since they have been together and you still complain about Danny being married to Ember."
Huffing indignantly, she replied, "So? I'm still friends with both of them. Hell, I was even a bridesmaid for their wedding. I still think we would have made a better couple."
Shaking his head, Tucker returned to the situation at hand. "Whoever did this must really have it out for them."
***With Danny and Ember***
As the two entered the twins room, they found Dani and Youngblood tied up and gagged but no sign of their children.
After freeing the two teen, Danny asked, "What happened? Who did this?"
"Where are the twins?" Ember added.
Finding her breath, Dani said, "We were watching the twins when someone kicked open the door. When we turned to see who it was, we saw Skulker standing in the door frame with this evil grin on his face."
"That little snot came in and did this?" Ember said, trying to control her rage.
"Yeah." Youngblood said, taking over for Dani. "We did our best to hold him off and keep him from the twins but he was too much. He tied us up and flew off with them."
Ember was now shaking with anger. "Where...did...he...go?" she managed to say.
"Back to his realm." Dani said "He also wanted to us to tell you 'If the runt and his bitch ever want to see their brats alive again, they will come unarmed.'"
This final message from Skulker caused Ember to snap. She screamed and let her hair go into an inferno. It was only when Danny embraced her that she managed to calm down.
"Its ok, Em. They're going to be alright." Danny soothed.
Having heard the commotion, Tucker and Sam rushed upstairs to see a beaten and bruised Dani and Youngblood while Danny was trying to calm down Ember.
"So, I guess our least favorite hunter is behind this?" Tucker asked.
Danny nodded. "He took the babies as well."
"What does he want with them? I understand why he is mad at you two but why would he attack the twins?" Sam asked.
"Because he is a sick, twisted bastard that gets his rocks off from hurting others." Ember said, venomously. "As to what he is going to do with them? They could be bait to lure us into a trap or worse."
"What could be worse?" Tucker asked.
"Makes them a part of his trophy collection." Danny said darkly.
Tucker cringed at the thought while Sam was dumbstruck that Skulker would be that evil.
Danny turned back to Ember and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "We're getting them back, no matter what it takes."
Ember gave him a small smile and returned the kiss before turning to Sam and Tucker.
"Would you guys help us getting our babies back?" she asked.
"Of course we will." Tucker said. "Right Sam?"
Sam didn't answer immediately. It took an elbow in the gut from Tucker for her to reply, "Sure, why not?"
"Thanks guys. We really appreciate this." Danny said, grinning at his two friends. Turning towards Dani and Youngblood, he asked, "You guys going to be alright?"
"Don't worry about us. Go get the twins back." Youngblood said.
"Kick his ass, big bro." Dani added.
"Everyone hold hands." Ember said, grabbing hold of Danny and Sam's hands while Tucker completed the circle.
"Hold on." Ember said to Sam and Tucker. "You guys aren't as accustomed to this as we are."
A whirlwind of flames engulfed the four, teleporting them to Skulker's realm. Stepping through his door, they saw various hunting weapons, trophies, and other assorted tech. Near the back, the saw a flat screen television that was displaying the twins. Danny and Ember quickly rushed in front of the screen while Tucker and Sam observed the gear before them.
All of a sudden, Danny and Ember began to scream and writhe in pain. Hearing their friends in trouble, Sam and Tucker ran over and noticed the floor beneath the two ghost was emitting some sort of energy that was harming the two ghost. By the time the energy stopped the two were on the floor, recovering from their injuries. Danny suddenly powered down from his ghost form, leaving him in a black Rolling Stones t shirt, ripped blue jeans, and a pair of black Converse. Ember looked much worse for wear. Her hair was not a dancing fire and it hung limply down her back.
"Danny! Are you alright?" Sam said, cradling his head. His eyes fluttered open and he checked his surroundings.
"What happened? And why can't I transform again?" he asked.
"You and Ember must have stood over some trap Skulker had for the two of you." Tucker said.
Hearing her name, Danny crawled out of Sam's grasped and checked to see how Ember was doing.
"Ember? Ember! Wake up!" Danny said, holding her in his arms. Slowly but surely, she came around.
"What the hell was that?" she asked, putting her arms around Danny's neck and allowing him to help her to her feet.
"Allow me to answer that." replied Skulker, his image replacing that of the twins on the flat screen.
"You couldn't handle us at our best so you decide to fry us, you coward?" Ember yelled at the screen.
"Don't worry, your powers have only been disabled temporarily. As you may have guessed, I stole the plans from Vlad's original ghost neutralizer and amped up the power."
"Fine, you've had your laugh. Now give us back our kids!" Danny demanded.
"You four are in no place to be making demands from me, now that I have the upper hand." Skulker said maliciously.
"When I get my hands on you, you're going to wish you never fucked with us in the first place!" Ember said venomously.
"Oh, I'm shaking in my suit!" Skulker mocked.
"So what do you want?" Sam asked.
"Revenge, maybe even a little fun." Skulker said. "Here is what is going to happen. I have placed you precious brats somewhere in my game preserve. For now, they will remain unharmed. But should you fail to rescue them within 24 hours, lets just say some of my pets will have a free meal."
Ember tried her best to look strong and unshaken but the tears flowing down her cheeks told a different story. Seeing his love crying, Danny brought her in to his arms, staring daggers at the screen.
"I won't be so cruel as to leave you completely clueless as to where to find them. Simply follow the trail I marked for you and it will lead you directly to them." Skulker said. So without further ado, let the hunt begin!"
As the screen turned black, the floor beneath the four suddenly gave way. Danny, Ember, Sam, and Tucker began falling, not knowing when they would reach the ground.