Skulker looked up as the alarm for one of his camera traps went off. He set the gun he was cleaning on the worktable and turned to a nearby monitor to check what the camera had spotted. The system was programmed to alert him only if something unusual happened by, which meant that this could be some very interesting prey.
Something large dashed past the first camera, a blur of black and silver. Skulker switched to the next. This one captured the thing as it paused to look around: black coat with silver mane and spine-stripe, four slender legs, a long golden-eyed head crowned by a massive rack of antlers. A frayed strip of cloth was twined around the beast's antlers like moss on an ancient tree branch, the ends trailing behind its head as it searched its surroundings.
The black stag flinched at something off-camera and dashed away. Skulker stared at the empty screen as the realization sunk in. One of the legendary quarries had returned, a beast that was said to be seen only once every few hundred years, and he'd been one of the first to spot it. There would be competition if he didn't move fast, but then he did always enjoy a challenge. Hunting others who might show up to steal this prize could always be entertaining, too.
Still, better to act before too many of them showed up. Skulker grinned and hurried back to the worktable, where most of his arsenal was ready and waiting. He'd only just finished cleaning and repairing most of it—quite a stroke of luck since he wanted to move fast. If the stories were true, then this would be a hunt to remember.
Valerie steeled herself as her board soared over the rooftops of Amity Park. Vlad still hadn't delivered on his end of their deal. A likely part of the reason was the bizarre dome that appeared over the city for a day and a half, having only dissipated around noon the previous day; she'd decided to dedicate the day to training after finding she couldn't break through it and had been too tired to do this by the time it was gone. Today she was rested and focused, ready to put on the required act to keep Vlad thinking she was still ignorant to his true nature.
A bit of awe, gratitude, respect... Valerie fixed the way she'd acted toward Vlad in the past in her mind as his mansion came into view. It would be hard not to show her newfound hatred for him after being used like that.
The board came to a halt at the doorstep and vanished. Valerie dropped to the marble and started to reach for the doorbell, pausing to review how she was supposed to act in her head once more. She decided it would be best to keep her suit active—it was her work outfit, after all. With her state of mind settled, Valerie rang the doorbell and tried not to fidget while she waited.
Valerie was starting to wonder if she would have to check city hall when the sound of approaching footsteps came from behind the door. It opened to reveal the man she'd once respected and admired, Vlad Masters. She almost couldn't believe he'd deceived her so easily, but then he'd done that to a lot of people, hadn't he? She was just the latest in a long line of people he'd lied to.
"Ah, Miss Gray," Vlad said, giving Valerie a polite smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Sorry to bother you like this, Mr. Masters," Valerie replied, acting every bit the apologetic admirer Vlad was expecting. "I wanted to know when to expect the apartment upgrade, if you remember the deal we made a few days ago?"
Vlad paused as if trying to remember. "Ah yes, the business with Dani Phantom. The agreement was that you bring her to me."
"Which I did, and I saved you from a clearly malevolent ghost afterward, too," Valerie allowed just a hint of pride into her voice, like a student who had exceeded their teacher's expectations. She'd figured he might try to find some way to weasel out of his end of the deal. Best to remind him that she had done everything he requested and more.
"Right, yes. I remember now." Vlad held a hand up to indicate that he didn't need further reminding. "Things have been a bit unsettled thanks to the most recent ghost attack, is all."
"You mean the dome?" Valerie asked, wary of the possible attempt to change the subject but curious about the dome's source regardless. She might have to fight whatever was responsible for it eventually, after all.
"Some sort of dream ghost caused it. In any case, I'll see to it that you receive your reward. You've certainly earned it."
"Thank you, Mr. Masters." Valerie gave him a grateful smile and turned to leave. She stopped at the first step, wondering if it would be wise to twist the dragon's tail, so to speak. Vlad had no idea that she knew Masters and Plasmius were one and the same; it would look like she was being her usual vengeful self after seeing a ghost put someone she cared about in danger. It would be fun to watch him squirm, too.
"By the way," Valerie added, looking over her shoulder at Vlad before he could close the door. "I'll keep an eye out for that ghost that attacked you. He won't get the chance to hurt you again as long as I'm around." She gave him a vindictive smile, the first purely genuine expression she'd been allowed during their conversation.
Vlad kept his composure. "Good," he said, giving her a knowing smile in return. "I'm sure I'll sleep a little better knowing that you're looking out for everyone."
The lack of reaction was disappointing, but not unexpected. Vlad was an accomplished liar, being what he was. He never would've gotten this far if he didn't have an excellent poker face.
Valerie gave him a wave of farewell and leaped off the topmost step. Something dark flicked past at the corner of her eye just as Vlad left the edge of her vision.Did he know? The hoverboard materialized under her feet, and Valerie whipped back around to face Vlad again.
He was still in the doorway, with nothing immediately amiss going on around him. "Something wrong?" Vlad asked, looking a tad worried.
"Could've sworn I saw something..." Valerie muttered, looking around the doorstep once more. "It's nothing," she said to Vlad, and turned her board to speed away.
"I see." Clockwork held the Dreamkeeper's Crown easily in one hand as Danny finished a brief recounting of how the artifact had come to him. "You were right in bringing this to me. I'll find a safe place to keep it." His form shifted to that of an old man, his features withered and lean. "Tell me again what became of the First Dream."
"It was gone after I hit Nocturne with the Ghostly Wail," Danny replied. "And I didn't find any pieces after the fight so I thought it was destroyed."
"I'm afraid things aren't that simple. Keep an eye out for it, objects of such magnitude are dangerous even in pieces." Clockwork shifted again, this time to the form of a child, the crown still held secure in one tiny hand.
"Right." Danny nodded. He smiled regardless, one of his tasks having been completed for the time being. "Thanks, Clockwork." Danny gave Clockwork a wave of farewell and turned to leave.
"One more thing before you go," Clockwork added. He continued once he was sure he had Danny's full attention once again, "Be wary. I sense trouble ahead, especially now that this has resurfaced." Clockwork lifted the hand that held the crown, the light shifting over its polished surface.
Danny looked at the crown again and opened his mouth to ask for further detail, then decided against it; Clockwork had his reasons. "Okay," he said, his smile replaced with a worried frown. This time he met no interruption as he turned and flew away.
Clockwork's form came full circle, back to an adult as he looked down at the crown. It had been a very, very long time since he'd last seen it, back when it was being used by its original owner to bring nightmares into the world. He would need help in finding a good place to hide it.
"Quasar," he said quietly, his eyes closed in concentration. "I require assistance, if you would be so kind."
A point of light appeared before Clockwork, a perfect tiny star. It spun rapidly, throwing out brilliant tendrils until it formed into a miniature spiral galaxy. It hung in the air a moment, sparkling and perfect, then with a final flourish it materialized into a hooded cloak and the ghost beneath it.
Where Clockwork wore shades of purple this ghost was clothed in robes of soothing blue colors. Starscape shimmered on the inner lining of the cloak and within the hood, glittering around the pale cyan face of its owner. A long scar traced a black line across the bridge of their nose, the physical reminder of a pact made long ago. Quasar straightened and turned placid green eyes to Clockwork, giving the Master of Time a warm smile in greeting.
"Thank you for being so prompt," Clockwork said, giving the Master of Space a brief smile of his own. "Sorry to call you here with such little notice. I need your help in finding a good place to hide this." Clockwork lifted the crown for Quasar to see.
The smile faded from Quasar's face, replaced by a worried frown. The Master of Space drifted over for a closer look. Quasar traced one black-gloved finger along the rim of the empty gem socket, a silent question in their eyes when they looked up at Clockwork again.
"Broken, for it to have fallen out of the socket," Clockwork replied, his form shifting to that of an old man. "We'll be keeping an eye out for it."
Quasar accepted the crown from Clockwork. Their expression became steadily more mournful as they stared down at the Dreamkeeper's Crown, it being one of the few remnants of the conflict that cost them so much.
Clockwork gently rested his hand on Quasar's arm. "I'm sorry to have dredged up such painful memories, but you're the only one I can trust to take care of it."
A few long moments of silence passed. At last Quasar looked up at Clockwork and nodded, patting the hand on their arm and giving him a rueful smile. Quasar swept their cloak up as Clockwork drew away, light gathering in its wake until their entire form was obscured by it. Light spun into a disk, spiralling in until it was reduced to a mere point of brilliance. The miniature star flashed out of existence as Quasar departed, bound for the distant part of the Ghost Zone they called home.
"Come on , Nocturne! I don't have all day!" Danny smacked the palm of his hand against the bottom of the thermos, trying to dislodge the reluctant ghost who still lingered inside. Nocturne had been there since yesterday, when he surprised Danny by being the first ghost he'd ever encountered who refused to leave it. "What's the holdup? You were happy to get out last time."
They were currently in one of the farther areas of the Ghost Zone near where Nocturne's lair was supposed to be located. A few lesser ghosts had paused to watch the display, ultimately continuing on once they got bored and not bothering to interfere.
Danny had just turned the thermos upright and was considering what he might try next to dislodge Nocturne when the ghost spoke up. "How does it feel to be so alone, ghost boy?" Nocturne asked.
It was a startling question to receive from Nocturne. Danny stared down at the thermos as he tried to wrap his mind around the question itself and why Nocturne would be asking it. "But I'm not alone. I have my friends and family," he replied, curious about where Nocturne might be headed with this.
"Your mother and father dream of bringing about the demise of the ghost boy," Nocturne stated.
Danny frowned, his grip tightening on the thermos; he didn't need reminding of that.
"Your friends and sister know but will never understand what it's like to be one of your kind," Nocturne continued in the same careful monotone. "The only one who ever could is your sworn enemy."
"Why bring this up?" Danny asked, glaring down at the thermos. He had half a mind to give it a good shake, but something told him that Nocturne wasn't deliberately trying to antagonize him with this. "If this is some scheme to get the crown back it's not gonna work. I wouldn't give it to you even if I still had it."
Nocturne sighed. "Nevermind."
Danny paused to see if Nocturne might explain himself further, but the ghost remained silent. "If my dad finds you in there he's probably going to do something awful to you," Danny said finally.
The threat of Danny's father was enough to get Nocturne moving. He flowed out of the Fenton Thermos like a mobile patch of starscape and paused to look back at Danny once he was free. "Humans are not the only creatures capable of feeling loneliness." Nocturne flew away, bound for whatever door hid his home.
Danny stared after Nocturne until the ghost was lost from view, then turned to make his own way home. There would be time to puzzle over Nocturne's odd behavior once he was back in the human world.
Shop-lined streets like Moonstone Avenue were hard to find back in Elmerton. Valerie perused the assorted restaurants, bakeries, and shops, intent on getting herself a rare treat to celebrate her success. It had been a long while since she'd last enjoyed quality baked goods such as those in the bakeries here, and she could bring some home for her father to enjoy as well. She passed a small fountain on her way to inspect the next bakery along the street, enjoying the warm clear summer day and the opportunity to be out doing something other than ghost hunting.
Silent and unnoticed by the surrounding humans, a four-legged shadow wove its way down the street. It moved slow and cautious, pausing every time a human's eyes strayed near it, slipping in or out of the shadow of a passing pedestrian when none were looking.
A commotion started farther down the street, far enough away that Valerie mistook it for something benign. She was busy examining the baked goods on display in a shop window when someone behind her screamed. The roar of jet engines drowned out the screams as a reflection flashed over the polished glass of the shop window: metal body with a mane of green fire in the place of hair. Valerie whirled as Skulker shot down the street, the wind kicked up in his wake whipping hats off shoppers' heads and pelting them with leaves shaken from the surrounding trees.
Panic set in all around Valerie as shoppers scrambled to get off the street, some diving into the shops to take shelter while others ran into the road in their hurry to get away. Most of the moving cars had stopped as soon as the drivers spotted Skulker overhead, a lucky break for those who were using the road as a means of escape.
Valerie dashed to the nearest alleyway, checking for anyone who might spot her transformation. The alley was empty, the other shoppers having left the area entirely. Her suit activated at a mental command, the hoverboard materializing beneath her feet, but a movement caught her eye before she could leave the alley.
A large four-legged shadow surged along the far wall of the alley, dead silent and so tall that its antlers brushed the second story windows.
Its sudden appearance startled Valerie. She bristled, ready to defend herself if this new ghost was hostile, but it ignored her completely and bounded down the alley and out of sight. Valerie briefly considered whether this one was worth pursuing, then decided that Skulker was more of a threat at the moment; the shadow seemed more intent on simply running away, while she knew for a fact that Skulker was armed and very dangerous. She shot out onto the street and wheeled to follow Skulker.
The ghost was hovering around a dozen feet above the street when Valerie reached him, his attention on a flip screen set into one forearm.
"Where do you get off harassing people just out minding their own business?" Valerie demanded, fists clenched and weapons materializing in the air around her shoulders as she glared at him. She'd been hoping for a bit of a break today but she wasn't about to let Skulker fly around as he pleased. The crosshairs displayed on her visor aligned, ready to fire on Skulker at her command. "Answer me you miserable waste of ectoplasm."
Skulker gave Valerie a scowl as he turned to her. "I'm not hunting you today, girl. Now move along, while I still have patience." He went back to fiddling with the flip-screen on his arm. The blast hit him on the back of his head, breaking his concentration.
"Only one of us who's gonna move along is you , ghost," Valerie replied, fists propped on her hips and her blasters hovering in the air around her head and shoulders. She was ready for a fight, but a scuffle here could cause collateral damage she didn't want. Better to get the ghost to back off for now, maybe engage him at a better location. "So I suggest you hop to it."
There was an audible snap as Skulker closed the panel on his arm. "It's not here anyway," he growled. The jetpack revved up and carried him away, and he vanished as he cleared the rooftops.
Valerie rose to where he'd disappeared. Seemed he'd added some sort of cloaking to the typical ghost invisibility—the sensors on her suit told her that he was still around, but couldn't pinpoint his exact location. She sighed through her nose, drooping slightly. There wouldn't be any opportunity for a relaxing afternoon with Skulker still about, though the thrill of the hunt would doubtless catch her up once they really started fighting.
Danny found the lab empty when he finally arrived home. He shifted back to human form and trotted up the stairs, wondering what Sam and Tucker had been up to in his absence; he'd opted to leave them behind this time to avoid endangering them in a section of the Ghost Zone he was still unfamiliar with. They'd seen him off earlier and were probably still around somewhere.
All was quiet in the kitchen and living room. Danny continued up the stairs and on to his bedroom, where he found Sam sitting tailor-style on his bed as she readLegends of Old and Tucker seated at his desk, his attention on his PDA. The room itself was now, thankfully, blood-free; Jazz had helped him clean up Vlad's mess when he told her about it the day before, and they'd managed to take care of it before their parents had a chance to see it.
"Hey guys," Danny said as he closed the door behind himself. "Having fun?"
"This book is amazing ," Sam gushed, looking up at him with a big smile. "It's got full versions of legends I've only ever found pieces of, and legends I've never even heard of before."
"She's had her nose in that thing ever since you left," Tucker added with a chuckle.
Sam rolled her eyes. "Maybe if you guys took more of an interest in this stuff we wouldn't be surprised by new ghosts so often." She leafed to the book's title page. "You borrowed this from Vlad, right? Maybe I can get a copy too just in case we meet anything mentioned in here." The title page came into view, and Sam's face fell. "Oh. Guess that'll be a no-go." She lifted the book—handling it very carefully, to Danny's relief—to show him the title page. "Says it was a copy made by Ghostwriter. Pretty sure he's still mad at you for destroying one of his manuscripts and getting him thrown in jail."
"Yeah, and I don't know if he's even gotten out since then," Danny admitted with a guilty frown. Ghostwriter may have escalated things, but it had been Danny's own ill will that started the whole mess in the first place. Sam had been adamant about reinforcing the fact that destroying an author's only copy of their new manuscript was one of the worst possible things you could do to them, too. It wasn't a victory that Danny really felt proud of these days. He set his hands on the railing at the foot of his bed, leaning in for a better look at the page, and noticed something surprising. "Huh, 'My friend, I hope you enjoy these tales of old. They have kept me company on many a dull night.' They're friends ?"
"Yikes," Tucker said from his seat near the desk. "You better hope Vlad doesn't find out you got his book club buddy thrown in jail."
"I don't know what's more surprising, the fact that Vlad's actually friends with someone, or the fact that it's Ghostwriter," Danny said, straightening.
"Well, 'friend' probably doesn't mean exactly the same thing to a ghost as it does to us." Sam lowered the book to the bedspread again and found the page she'd been on previously. "So how did it go in there?" She looked up at him again, leaving the book be for the moment and giving him an amused smile. "Did Nocturne finally give up life as a hermit crab?"
"Yep, got Nocturne to leave, and I put the crown somewhere safe," Danny replied. "But we need to keep an eye out for the gem. Clockwork says it's still in pieces somewhere."
"Should be easy enough to know when we see it." Sam flipped to the page with Strigios's illustration on it. "At least there aren't any normal gems that really look like it."
"And speaking of keeping an eye out," Tucker cut in, tapping his PDA with its stylus. "Looks like there was a ghost incident on Moonstone Avenue while you were gone." He swung the chair around to face Danny's computer and brought up the web search window. A few pictures were displayed on the visible portion of the page, showing Valerie and Skulker in a standoff. "Valerie got him to back off, but I'd say there's a pretty good chance he's still around."
Danny joined Tucker at the computer, leaning over his friend to scroll through the page himself. "Red Huntress?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
"Valerie's gotten a bit of a following lately," Tucker offered, chair casually tilted back to allow Danny room at the desk. "Red Huntress is the name they picked for her." He turned his PDA so Danny could see a fan page someone had made for Valerie as the Red Huntress.
"Wow, she gets a cool name right off the bat while I had to settle for Inviso-Bill for the longest time," Danny joked. There was no bitterness to his words, and in fact he felt glad that Valerie was getting some recognition. Maybe it would help soothe her normally-sour attitude when it came to dealing with Phantom, as long as the popularity didn't go to her head. "And what's better, it looks like Vlad isn't trying to exploit her popularity."
"Yet," Sam added. "She's still convinced that he's a good guy, right? He'll probably try to attach himself to her sooner or later."
"Her following's been growing pretty fast, it'll probably be sooner."
"And knowing Vlad he'll try to pit her against you even more than he does now."
"Well, we'll deal with that when it comes up," Danny said. "You guys up for a trip to Moonstone in the meantime?"
"You bet." Sam placed a strip of paper on the page she'd been reading and closed the book. "Can't let Skulker sneak around wherever he wants. Plus I hear there's a bakery over there that makes great vegan cupcakes."
Danny looked to Tucker.
"You know me, dude. Always ready to fight ghosts and can't turn down the opportunity for a sweet treat," Tucker said with a smile as he stood up.
They donned their Fenton Phones and set out, Danny flying above and a little ahead while Sam and Tucker followed on their scooters through the streets below. Things had gone quiet following the ghost alert a few hours prior, but there was no guarantee it would stay that way. Danny only hoped that the calm would remain until he got there.
"I'm gonna go on ahead," Danny said once he was close enough to see the tree-lined avenue a few blocks over. "I'll meet you on the ground once you're there."
Danny went invisible as he neared the street—a lot of Casper High students were still following him around whenever they saw him in his ghost form, and he didn't feel like dealing with that today unless he had to. There was also the fact that Valerie might be in a bad mood when she spotted him. Best to lie low for now. He landed in an empty alleyway, made sure no one was around to see him, and returned to human form.
The street was busier than Danny expected when he stepped out onto the sidewalk. At a glance it looked like most of the foot traffic consisted of Casper High students, many of whom he knew by face if not by name. Paulina and Star chatted animatedly as they entered a boutique across the way, Paulina directing a hopeful glance at the sky as she let the door swing shut behind her. To the right and on Danny's side of the street Kwan watched Valerie cruise overhead, the admiring smile on his face clearly declaring that he was excited to see the Red Huntress patrolling the area. Dash was beside him, hands stuffed into the pockets of his letter jacket as he watched the empty sky above—he was more enthused about the eventual arrival of a certain other protector who had been conspicuously missing earlier.
Danny decided to search toward his left first, thinking it best to let Dash and Kwan move on before checking out that part of the street. Not having to deal with the bully on a daily basis during weekdays had been a welcome change during summer, and Danny wanted to keep it as Dash-free as he possibly could. Part of him even hoped that Skulker wouldn't show after all, since it meant Dash would miss out on seeing his favorite hero. Danny didn't particularly care whether that hope was petty or not. There weren't any rules stating he had to like his tormentor, and maybe a little disappointment would be good for Dash's character.
All seemed quiet enough as Danny moved down the sidewalk, enjoying shade provided by the trees that lined Moonstone Avenue as he looked for any evidence that Skulker might still be around. The hunter himself would probably stay invisible until given the opportunity for an attack, but that didn't mean any traps he might've left behind were concealed well enough to slip by Danny's notice.
Sure enough, Danny discovered a small flat device that gave off the usual ghostly green glow at the entrance of a crosswalk. It was odd to see it put in such a conspicuous place. A breeze stirred the leaves overhead as Danny knelt beside the device. It was one of Skulker's special snares, rigged to entangle the prey in ectoplasmic ropes when triggered. The only problem was that he couldn't figure why Skulker would intentionally leave it here of all places, where a human might step on it by accident.
"Well well, look who we have here."
Danny closed his eyes a moment, fighting back the immediate annoyance that boiled up at the sound of Dash's voice. Dash must've spotted him and booked it to catch up, given how far down the street he'd been when Danny chose to go the other way.
"Whatcha lookin' at, Fenton?" Dash stepped into view, a typical cocky smile on his face as he looked down at Danny. "Pickin' up one of your parents' lameoid inventions?"
"Hey Dash, could we maybe not for today?" Kwan spoke up before Danny could reply himself.
"Oh what, cause the Huntress is around?" Dash straightened and turned to Kwan, his voice full of disdain. "Don't wanna look bad in front of your new hero ?"
"Oh what, just cause you're fine with looking like a jerk in front of Phantom, I should be the same?"
Danny rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the device as the argument started. As long as they didn't stumble into it themselves or worse push him in he didn't care what they did. There was a simple enough way to disarm this trap, as long as he could locate the proper mechanism and wasn't jostled while he was doing it.
Movement to his right caught his attention, and Danny looked to find a large golden eye staring at him from the deepening shadows. That was enough to clear the annoyance away due to pure shock. The texture beneath his fingers—cobblestone that was pleasantly cool thanks to shade—changed to one of hide stretched over hardened muscle.
The trap activated as Danny stumbled back, a massive black stag erupting up from the shaded ground in front of him. Ropes of pure ectoplasm whipped up and bound the creature before it could escape. It strained against the binding, antlers thrashing the tree branches above as it tossed its head.
Dash and Kwan's argument came to an abrupt end as they stared up at the thing in amazement, a sentiment that was actually mirrored by Danny this time. His ghost sense hadn't gone off, even when the creature was right underneath him. It still wasn't going off even now that the thing was fully manifested. Just what was—
A gasp took him, the exhale showing clearly in the air in front of him. Skulker appeared in the road, armed with a large glowing knife and a determined expression as he lunged at the stag.
It bowed its head, and in one smooth movement caught Skulker up in its antlers and threw him across the road.
Skulker landed in front of a cafe, crushing a table and its accompanying chairs. He would be up and angry before long after taking that blow.
Danny sprinted for the nearest alley, Dash and Kwan already rushing down the street ahead of him. Most of Danny's schoolmates had chosen to duck into the shops, which he avoided due to the prevalence of security cameras. The alley was empty as a result.
The glowing ring appeared and separated, swapping human form for ghost. Danny flew back into the street and found that Valerie had already arrived, small guns that floated in the air around her head firing on Skulker while he was still on the ground. The stag still stood at the crosswalk entrance, snapping the last of the trap and pouring back into the shadows like a black stream.
It still unnerved Danny that the thing didn't register on his ghost sense, but he decided to let it go. The stag seemed more intent on getting away from Skulker, who Danny knew to be dangerous. He passed the shadow containing the stag and came to a halt beside Valerie, green energy gathering around his hands as he prepared to join in.
Skulker glared up at his assailants and phased through the concrete below, leaving the broken remains of table and chairs behind.
"Phantom!"
Danny looked over to find that Valerie was watching him and wondered if he'd have to make himself scarce after all.
Valerie put her hands on her hips. "About time you showed up," she added. "Care to give me a hand? This ghost's a bit slippery."
"Gladly," Danny replied, giving Valerie a hesitant smile. It was nice to not have her hounding him for once.
"Go get him, Danny Phantom!" Paulina called from the sidewalk, an adoring smile on her face at seeing her beloved superhero show up at last.
"Yeah, kick that ghost's butt!" added another student.
"You can do it, Red Huntress!" Kwan called from the other side of the street.
Other students emerged from their hiding places, cheering for either Danny Phantom or the Red Huntress, sometimes both in the same sentence. The sidewalks were quickly becoming crowded from how many of them were trying to gather close to get a better look.
The praise was always welcomed for Danny, up to a point. Hopefully they would listen to sense and get out of the way when he warned them this time. "We appreciate it, but you guys need to get to cover," he said, pointing in the direction of one the shops.
"You're gonna get hurt if you stay out here," Valerie added, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked down at the crowd.
Danny looked past the crowd as Kwan and a few others began ushering students off the sidewalks. He spotted Skulker as the ghost reappeared in the middle of the street near the far end of Moonstone. The stag must've been a valuable catch for Skulker to ignore Danny and Valerie the way he was, his attention focused on a panel on his arm even now. It could give them a bit of an upper hand if nothing else.
Valerie shot past, taking a route above the sidewalk to their left and buffeting Danny with the gust of air stirred up by her passage. An array of small laser cannons appeared around her shoulders as she came within firing range of her target.
Danny followed suit, instead flying above the opposite sidewalk to help Valerie flank their opponent.
Skulker whirled to face Valerie as she fired on him and grabbed a nearby car—one of the few that were still parked on Moonstone. The car groaned as Skulker hefted it with one arm, and he paused only a moment to aim before hurling it at Valerie. He spotted Danny flying in from the other side and followed up with a barrage of missiles from a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Skulker jetted away as soon as the missiles were airborne, still intent on finding his quarry.
The car would land inside a nearby bakery even if Valerie managed to dodge, that much was clear. Spectators who'd gathered near the front window to watch the fight fled at the sight of the car, tripping over tables and chairs in their haste to get away. Valerie grit her teeth and jumped, clearing the car's hood while her board continued beneath it. At a mental command the board connected with the car's underside and slowed its descent. Valerie landed neatly on the car's roof, her head bowed in concentration as the board brought the car back down to the street.
Danny formed a shield to protect himself, angling it upward so it would deflect the missile explosions away from the street and anyone who might still be out. To his surprise the missiles began to wobble in their trajectory, crashing into each other and exploding before they could reach him. He stared in surprise as debris fell to the street below; he hadn't seen Skulker's tech perform that poorly in months, but he wasn't about to turn down a lucky break like this one when it came up.
Valerie jumped down from the car, her board darting out from under it to catch her. The bakery was safe, and the car itself only in need of a bit of repair, hopefully. She spotted Skulker further down the street and took off after him.
A large branch fell from one of the trees just as Skulker passed beneath it and hit him square in the face. The branch alone was an unpleasant shock, but now it had somehow gotten itself caught in his shoulder armor and refused to give when he pulled at it. Skulker dipped while trying to disentangle himself from the branch, one wingtip dragging across the pavement in a shower of sparks and sending him somersaulting down the road. He landed hard near the street corner, the wretched branch still caught on his armor and his wings badly damaged.
"Jee Skulker, did you fight Johnny before you came here?" Danny quipped as he and Valerie came to a halt above him.
Skulker growled in annoyance, still trying to get the branch off. He paused to look up at the two of them. "Hey uh, I can't exactly fight now so, maybe you could show a little—"
"You wouldn't do that if you were given the chance," Danny said, arms crossed over his chest.
"And my patience ran out pretty soon after our first meeting today," Valerie added.
"Darnit," Skulker grumbled. The barrage hit him dead-on, totaling his suit and knocking its head off. The real Skulker tumbled out, a small green blob in comparison to the metal giant he usually piloted.
Danny caught Skulker and his suit in the beam of the Fenton Thermos and slammed the lid on once he was in, smiling with satisfaction at a job well-done. He looked to Valerie, and his smile faded when he noticed she was watching him.
"So what do you do with the ghosts once you catch them in that, anyway?" Valerie asked, pointing to the thermos. "Looks a bit like Fenton tech."
"That's an excellent question," Danny replied with a nervous half-chuckle. It hadn't occurred to him before, but Valerie had never seen him use the Fenton Thermos as Danny Phantom until now. He would have to deflect this line of thought fast before she figured things out.
The clamor of stampeding feet reached their ears, and they turned to find that the spectators had moved back onto the streets and were rushing toward them now. Sam and Tucker lingered farther back, in no rush as they waved to Danny over the crowd and pointed toward the bakery they were heading for.
"Red Huntress! That was amazing how you caught that car!"
For once Danny felt grateful to Kwan for interrupting him. "Looks like you've got your own fan club now," he said with a smile and a shrug.
Valerie put her hands on her hips. "You're not getting out of answering that question, Phantom. I'll have it out of you sooner or later." Her tone almost sounded playful, but Danny chose not to push his luck.
"Next time, then. Have fun!" He gave her a grin and a wave, then disappeared.
It took Valerie a few moments to realize she hadn't gotten the chance to set up a 'next time'. She let out a growling sigh and looked out over the crowd of students, some of which were even now clamoring for her attention. Movement beyond caught her attention, and she watched Tucker and Sam cross the street, Danny Fenton hurrying to catch up with them. A woman jogged up to the crowd, stopping just short of it to wave at Valerie and gesture back down Moonstone—toward the bakery she'd saved from being smashed by the car.
Valerie lifted her head so it was clear she was looking at the woman and nodded, then turned back to the students gathered around her. Some had already wandered off when it was clear that Phantom wouldn't be sticking around, which meant those remaining were solely interested in her. They were all talking at once, making it difficult to make out exactly what was being said.
She dithered briefly on what to say—being popular in school had been one thing, but this was entirely different. "I'm gonna head out now that the ghost's been dealt with. You guys be safe as you go home!" There, that seemed satisfactory enough.
A good number of her fans were disappointed to see her go, though a few of them waved and wished her well as she rose and flew over the rooftops. There was an alley that ran behind the building containing the bakery, where Valerie spotted the woman who'd waved at her earlier. She eased her board down, landing it in a clear space just in front of the woman, who looked somewhat nervous now that Valerie was close enough to get a good look at her face.
"Oh, you came!" the woman said, hands clasped on the handle of a paper shopping bag as she gave Valerie a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for stopping that car, I don't know what I would've done if it landed in my bakery. Please, I'd like to give you something for saving us. You don't have any food allergies to worry about, do you? I can make up a new bag for you if so."
Valerie felt a bit dazed by all the sudden recognition, especially when she realized that the bag was loaded to the top with goods from the woman's bakery. "N-no, I don't," she replied with a brief shake of her head.
"Oh, good!" The baker took a step closer and offered the bag for Valerie to take. "I didn't know what you liked, so I picked a variety. We specialize in gluten free baking but I promise it all tastes wonderful. I hope you enjoy it."
"Thank you," Valerie said slowly, accepting the bag with both hands. It was heavier than she expected, each of the boxes within sporting the bakery's name in flowing black letters: Lavender Cafe. The dazed feeling was still there, but she was finally starting to catch up.
"If you're ever in the area, feel free to stop by for a treat on me."
"Oh no, I couldn't—" Valerie began, but the baker held up a hand and shook her head.
"You saved everyone who was in my bakery, and you saved me thousands of dollars by not letting that car crash through my front window. It's the least I can do, and please tell me what you like best so I can pack more of it next time."
Valerie let out a half-laugh, blushing behind her visor. This was so different from the norm, having people actually thank her for ghost hunting, she still almost couldn't believe it. "I have to get going. Thank you again, this really means alot to me."
"Fly safe, and take care!" the baker called after Valerie, waving until she was lost from sight.
The lights were on when Valerie opened the front door of the dingy two-bedroom apartment she shared with her father, which meant that he was home. She found him going over various documents that were spread over the kitchen table, yet another sheaf of them held in one hand.
Damon Gray looked up and spotted his daughter in the doorway. "Did you have a good time in town today?" he asked, his bold mustache tipped up from the smile behind it.
Valerie opened her mouth to reply, then hesitated. Her father held only a grudging acceptance of her ghost hunting, and she still felt a bit awkward talking openly to him about it. She lifted the bag and set it on one of the few clear spaces on the table. "I saved a bakery today. The owner thanked me by giving me this." Valerie lifted out one of the topmost boxes and lifted the lid, revealing a beautifully-crafted fruit tart.
Her father's smile dimmed slightly, but remained in place all the same. "Valerie, that's wonderful. I still worry about you, but I'm really happy to hear that you're getting recognition for what you do." Damon got to his feet and set the bundle of papers aside. "And speaking of recognition, I have great news! Axiom just gave me a big raise and a bonus on top of that. We'll be able to move back to Amity Park if all goes well."
"That's wonderful!" Valerie said, genuine happiness winning out despite her annoyance at having had to give Vlad a figurative kick to get her father the salary he deserved. She gave him a hug, which he returned. "You wanna have some of these sweets to celebrate?" Valerie asked, looking up at him.
"Dessert for dinner?" Damon chuckled as they released each other. "Well, okay. But just this once."
They found that the bag had indeed been filled with a wide variety of pastries: large cake slices, tarts, coffee cakes, cookies, lemon bars, all of them delicious just as the baker promised. In the end most of it had to be put in the fridge for later, and the two of them went to bed feeling happy and accomplished after the events of the day.
Valerie lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling as she went over everything one last time. It had been odd seeing Danny Phantom using a piece of Fenton tech, what with the Fenton parents having such animosity toward him. Now that she thought of it, he did tend to hang around Fenton Works an awful lot for a ghost they didn't like, to a degree that 'keeping an eye on them' didn't quite explain. And there was the fact that he and Vlad were enemies. There was bound to be a way to use that to her advantage—it had been Danny Phantom who warned her about Vlad's true nature to begin with, after all.
The events of the day were catching up with her, and Valerie's eyelids began to droop. She stifled a yawn and turned away from the window. There would always be time to think about this sort of thing tomorrow, once she'd gotten a good night's sleep.
A/N: A bit of an interlude episode to settle things from Dreamshatter and set up others. Big thanks to Phantomtype for helping me with brainstorming and proofreading! Credit for the OC Quasar goes to Phantomtype, you can find more art and information on them on Phantomtype's tumblr in the "oc: quasar" tag!