Chapter 1: the Ghost boy.

"Mom, PLEASE, tell us where we're going!" Danny cried in mock desperation from the back seat. He was sandwiched between Sam, who was jamming to death metal that could be heard through her headphones, and Tucker, who was currently demolishing angry birds on his new ipad mini. The teens had scored their parents' permission to go with Danny and his family on a road trip after Maddie had assured them it would be educational. Danny failed to see how 36 hours of pine trees and a highway into the middle of nowhere led to anything educational. Especially when they were traveling in the GAV. Maddie turned around to face her son.

"Aww, but Danny, I want it to be a surprise!" she said, before giving a pouting face. Danny responded with a sarcastic eye roll.

"Honestly, I'd be surprised to see civilization at this point." He muttered. Maddie studied a map for a minute, the called, "don't worry, Danny, we're only 13 miles out, now. Hang tight." Danny sighed and slid back into his seat and closed his eyes. He smiled. It was peaceful here. The hum of the assault vehicle mixed with Sam's muffled rock music and the warm afternoon sun felt like heaven. Felt like home.

So of course Vlad had to ruin it.

Danny felt a hand grab his shirt from inside the seat, turn him intangible, and drag him through the wall into the sky. Danny turned, saw his captor, and growled. He violently backhanded Plasmius in the jaw, and felt himself start to fall. Just as he hit free fall, Danny willed the whit rings to a pear, and they did. He was an inch from the road when he pulled up as Phantom and rounded to face Plasmius, who was hovering nearby with his arms crossed.

"You could have told me you were leaving town, you know." Vlad said coldly. Danny sputtered indignantly. "I'm sorry. I forgot that knowing where I was at all times was part of your crazy! What does it matter to you if I leave town?! Are you planning something?" said Danny. Vlad huffed and pulled at his chin.

"Yes and no. yes, I'm planning something, I'm always planning something. No, it has nothing to do with Amity Park. Where are you going?" he pestered. Danny paused. "I don't know yet." Vlad turned and started muttering to himself, only parts of which Danny could catch.

butternuts…"

Danny found this to be unimportant and time wasting. He glanced over his shoulder and saw the GAV disappearing into the horizon. Okay, he thought, time to ditch Dracula.

"Hey, FROOTLOOP!" Danny called. Vlad turned just in time to be blasted in the face with an ecto beam. The older Halfa scowled and shot at Danny with ecto beams of his own. Danny nimbly dodged the attack and was about to counter when Vlad called, "Save it Daniel. I'm through here. But remember this: if your hero complex should kick in for anything that happens where you're going, then your mind will no longer be safe from me." And with that ominous warning, Vlad Plasmius vanished.

On the way back to the GAV, Danny thought the encounter over, double time. If Amity Park was in no danger, then he probably had nothing to worry about. But if Vlad was plotting something, he felt he needed to be cautious. And yet, Vlad had warned him against doing anything where he was going. Did that mean Vlad knew something he didn't? And what could possible make Vlad believe he could invade Danny's mind. Danny shivered despite himself. He flew as fast as he could back to his Parents Van and flew intangible inside to the bathroom, the transformed and walked out as casually as possible. Maddie and Jack glanced at him nonchalantly but tucker and Sam looked up and him expectantly. Danny didn't want to say what happened out loud- his parents might freak. So he took his seat and quickly texted:

Vlad stopped by. Wonder why I wasn't in Amity and where I was going. Said not to do anything on this trip or my mind wouldn't be safe from him. But he isn't doing anything dangerous to Amity, but he does some to be up to something.

Sam finished reading the text and snatched Danny's cell out of his hands and feverishly typed:

What the hell does that mean "your mind won't be safe" new power? Anyway, what could he be doing out of town that you might interfere with?"

Danny read it and shrugged. Tucker grabbed the phone and began his own message:

I think I know where we're going, and if I'm right, 1. AWESOME! And 2. Vlad's doing something big. My GPS says we're nearing Gravity Falls, Oregon, which is where this year's ParanomiCon is supposed to be held. In about 2 DAYS!

Danny and Sam looked at each other, realization dawning in their eyes. This was huge. It was the trio's dream to visit ParanomiCon, but now that they were most likely to achieve it, an ugly storm cloud known as Vlad was hovering over them. GREAT.

Danny spoke, and shattered the uneasy silence.

"ParanomiCon, huh? Wonder if we'll see any Phantom Phans" he whispered. Sam and Tucker stifled giggles.

About 10 miles away, in a rundown tourist trap called the Mystery Shack, a young boy in blue pine tree hat burst through the door.

"Mabel! I was just out in the woods looking for that tree you told me about, and guess what I saw!? PARANOMICON IS HERE!" dipper cried. Mabel jerked her head up from her current sewing project, a black sweater with a white logo. She beamed and began squealing uncontrollably. Dipper covered his ears, happy with her reaction.

"OMG! This means there'll be like 10 times as much freaky stuff as usual! Maybe the Danny Phantom phan club will be there!" Mabel screamed. She was practically crying with happiness at this point. Dipper noticed that the white logo on her sweater was, in fact, Phantom's insignia. He sighed.

"We might also see the Norrisville ninja." Said Soos from across the room. Dipper frowned.

"Since when do you know about the Norrisville Ninja?" he asked. Soos shrugged. "I was looking up stuff when Mabel was researching that Phantom guy. Forget vampires and werewolves. Ghosts and Ninjas are in now." Replied Soos, who then proceeded to leave the room without explanation.

Just then Stan entered the room. "Listen up small people!" dipper and Mabel turned to their great uncle curiously. "I just got a call from my other sister's cousin's uncle. Turns out there's a kid of his that he wants to send to that geek convention that's happening next week, so your really distant cousin is gonna be here this evening. I need you to go set up the cot in your room and get the shack ready, and pronto." Dipper and Mabel stared at him in disbelief. "Don't just sit there, move it!" yelled Stan. The twins scurried to their new chores. Dipper paused at the door.

"Hey, grunkle Stan, just out of curiosity, who's the kid?" he asked.

"I don't know, some guy named Norman Babcock."

So I still haven't figured out the Author's notes thing. I'll YouTube it later. Anyway, "awesome" points will be awarded to whoever can guess the identity of the ghost Vlad intends to 'collect'. Technus, by the way, is incorrect. I'll try to keep posting as soon as I can. Live long and prosper!