Almost everyone in the Speeder took a collective gasp of awe as they entered the Ghost Zone. The heavy, cold green gases swirled lazily around the vehicle, illuminating the other world with a soft luminous glow common to ectoplasm. Purple, seemingly weightless doors drifted through the air and somehow stationary rocky islands large enough for buildings and entire forests loomed through the ectoplasmic clouds. Danny had to admit, the first time you saw the Ghost Zone, it was life changing. It was a glimpse into such a different and strange world, you instantly saw proof that humans didn't know everything. There was plenty out there to discover. After that first glance though, the feeling of foreboding could creep in. This place followed a different set of rules. Rules that no human could hope to fully understand.
As half-ghost, Danny had a unique perspective of this world. The clouds and gases attracted him and he felt oddly at home in this world, while in ghost form. It was what had unnerved him so greatly during his first ventures through the portal. The doors felt like houses. Places you weren't meant to go inside without permission. A bedroom of a friend's sibling or parent. It was somewhere so forbidden you daren't even take a peek. And the islands felt like entering empty forests. So large and foreboding but oddly calming and comforting. The Ghost Zone was so impressive, you could feel lost by going nowhere. Every time Danny visited this world, he felt a surge of homesickness, like he'd been a long way from home and finally got back. It was an odd feeling that he couldn't describe. When in human form those feelings dimmed and he felt oddly rejected and hurt to not feel those sensations. It made him feel unbelievably uncomfortable with changing while in the Ghost Zone.
Danny got out of his seat and leant on the back of his mother's chair. He scanned the world outside while everyone else, bar Sam and Tucker, drank in the amazing sight. Islands rarely moved in the Ghost Zone, but Danny had learnt a lot about the doors to ghost lairs during his visits. Certain doors were more dangerous than others. But the doors tended to reflect the occupant's demeanour and personality. Ember's had a massive star on the front and a darker shade of purple than most doors. Amorpho's door was a pale purple with the drama faces carved into the wood. The darker the purple, generally the more powerful and malevolent the ghost that resided on the other side. Sometimes Danny could even tell if the ghost was present or away by the keyhole in the door. Danny frowned at the doors nearby and surveyed them, with a slight nod, he concluded there were only a couple of doors that the Speeder had to be careful of.
"Mom, veer left. Keep your distance from that door and those two over there," Danny instructed. Maddie followed where her son was pointing and nodded, obeying without question.
Once Danny's voice broke the silence, the group began to mutter amongst each other, pointing out things they saw in the distance. Lance scrambled to get his video recorder on and began to film, introducing himself and doing a quick sweeping scan of the vehicle.
"Danny? What is that over there?" Paulina cooed, batting her eyelashes. Danny quickly hid a grimace as he went over to the three Casper High students and peered through the window.
"Far Frozen. We could go there actually. But fair warning, unless you have winter clothes, and I mean heavy winter clothes, you won't be able to get out," Danny answered, glancing around. No one objected so Danny returned to the front of the Speeder to direct his mother to the realm.
"Er Danny? Could you explain what these doors and islands are?" Lance called uncertainly, training his camera on the halfa. Danny glanced back at the weatherman before shrugging.
"Sure. Every door is called a lair. And is a home for a ghost. The islands are realms and can be home to one or more ghosts. Like the Far Frozen is home to a group of ghosts that have mastery of ice and snow. It was where I learnt to control my own powers. Skulker has his own island which he uses as a hunting ground. Er, Pandora is a ghost that lives in a realm that takes after Ancient Greek mythology. I don't know how a ghost claims a realm or lair but in my experience the stronger the ghost the bigger their home," Danny informed them all.
"Do you have a lair?" Andrea asked. Danny frowned.
"I don't think so. If I do, I've never seen it. For all I know it appears when a ghost is formed, or it might be something a ghost makes for themselves. But as far as I know, no," Danny answered thoughtfully.
"How can you not know?" Samuel retorted. Danny folded his arms.
"I don't know everything there is. I'm still learning. Until my first Christmas as a halfa, ghost term for half-ghost, I didn't even know about the Christmas Truce. It's a law that no ghost may fight another on Christmas," Danny replied.
Danny turned to the front as the Speeder approached the ice cave entrance to the Far Frozen.
"Careful mom, those icicles are dangerous. Be careful," Danny warned and stood behind her at the ready to jump out and catch the vehicle if they crashed. After fifteen nail biting minutes of flying, they emerged out of the cave into the snowy tundra with a grey icy ceiling above, green peeking through if you concentrated on it. The group of civilians gasped in awe again at the sight. Jack casually switched on the heater as the cold slowly seeped into the vehicle. Danny scanned the horizon and smiled as the village came into view.
"You can set it down anywhere you like here mom," Danny decided. Maddie glanced at the halfa before uncertainly stopping the vehicle on the edge of the ice hut village.
Danny turned to the group of people as they all started to unbuckle their seatbelts.
"Sam, do we have any coats?" Danny asked. His girlfriend frowned and made her way to the back of the Speeder to check in the storage cupboards. She shuffled to the back of the cupboard before crying out with success.
"Yep, whole box of 'em!" she called over her shoulder. Danny smirked.
"Great. Is there anyone here who doesn't want to leave the Speeder?" Danny inquired. He waited a few moments but no one was forth coming. Danny nodded.
"Alright then. Sam will help you all to get a coat. We mightn't have your size but trust me, you'll be glad to have one," Danny resumed. Tucker nodded.
"Danny mightn't feel the cold, but me and Sam do and we've been here before. Without a coat, you quickly get freezing cold. It's like being at the arctic here," Tucker added.
Ten minutes later and everyone had been given a coat and put them on, as well as a couple of changes in footwear. There were a few arguments and distasteful scowls at the clothing from Rebecca and Paulina. But no one refused the jackets. Danny opened the door and led the way out to the icy world outside. Nervously the rest followed Danny, Sam and Tucker as they headed into the village. Danny walked calmly as Sam caught up with her boyfriend and grabbed his hand. He smirked at her and nudged her playfully making her trip over a snow drift. Danny paused in the village square and frowned.
"Where is everyone?" he muttered. Sam glanced around and shrugged.
"Maybe they're put off by the others," she suggested. Danny shook his head slowly.
"You know what Frostbite's like," he retorted.
Danny gently broke away from Sam. He floated a few inches into the air.
"Wait here. I just want to make sure everything is alright around here. Sam and Tucker can take over for the time being. Back in a few minutes," Danny called over his shoulder before speeding off through the air to look for the Far Frozen people. Within a minute he spotted movement in a sheltered hut. He stopped outside it and tentatively knocked on the hard, compact ice. A ghostly, snowy white head with ice horns poked cautiously out through a fabric curtain.
"Great one, greetings and apologises. We are currently in hiding as there are ghost hunters here," the ghost whispered fearfully. Danny blinked before smiling reassuringly.
"It's alright. They're with me. They're my parents and a few people from Amity Park. Nothing to fear," Danny assured the ghost. The Far Frozen inhabitant stared at Danny before breathing an unnecessary sigh of relief.
"Very well great one, we shall spread the word among our people. However it would have been appreciated to have had some notice," the ghost replied. Danny blushed, green tinging his cheeks due to his ectoplasm instead of blood.
Danny returned to the square, landing smoothly beside his girlfriend and best friend as they told the story of how they first found this realm.
"Well?" Sam asked softly, allowing Tucker to take over the storytelling.
"They got spooked by mom and dad. That's all. They know now they don't need to hide," Danny informed her quietly. Sam smirked.
"Maybe we should have sat down and planned this tour better," she muttered. Danny nodded, blushing again slightly.
Tucker was just finishing his story when Danny spotted a ghost walking into the village square. The halfa grinned and waved to the ghost in greeting. The group of people turned to the ghost, watching him nervously. Danny walked happily over to the ghost and gave the large white furred creature with ice horns and ice and bone for an arm a hearty handshake.
"Frostbite. Sorry for not giving you a heads up. Honestly it didn't occur to me that you guys might be scared of my parents. Don't worry I'll be here to make sure nothing happens to any of your people," Danny apologised genuinely. Frostbite gave a warm laugh.
"Not to worry great one. The initial scare has been subdued and I understand it was a simple misunderstanding and oversight. But what, pray tell, are all these humans doing with you. I recognise your friends. Your parents are established ghost hunters throughout the Ghost Zone, but the others…" Frostbite inquired curiously.
"Oh, they're just a few people from Amity Park. I kind of got roped into giving them a tour of the Ghost Zone. Didn't really plan out a route but yours was the first stop. Any suggestions?" Danny admitted. Frostbite nodded.
"There are some beautiful sights west of our realm. I can offer one of my ghosts as an additional guide or navigator to your group. Or I could draw you a map. I fear I dislike the idea of lending you the Infi-map when you have to worry about a group of civilians to protect and your parents," Frostbite offered. Danny hummed and nodded in understanding.
"A map would be great. Just make sure Sam or Tucker can read it. I'm really bad at map reading," Danny decided, deciding against adding to the group. It was large enough as it was.
Danny then introduced Frostbite to the tour group, Sam and Tucker giving their own greetings to the large ghost. Frostbite, as leader of the Far Frozen, then offered to give the group a guided tour of the village. Danny noticed, with a pang of guilt, that the other ice ghosts kept their distance from the group and watched warily. It had never occurred to him that ghosts would fear humans. He'd expected angry territorial ghosts attacking the group. He'd expected having to talk down his parents from attacking ghosts with alarming appearances. He'd expected having the group frightened of the ghosts they saw. But never thought that the ghosts would run and hide due to his parents being present. Once their tour with Frostbite was finished, Tucker left with Frostbite to get a map and quickly ensure it was readable. His parents had had a moment of concern which they expressed to their son about Tucker leaving the group but Danny easily and calmly assured them there was nothing to worry about. While Tucker got a map, Danny decided that everyone could explore the village by themselves. Most didn't venture far from Danny. And before long they had all begun to make their way back to the Speeder.
Danny said his farewell to Frostbite, once again apologising for the scare and not warning the ghosts. Then everyone boarded the Speeder and shed their coats. Rebecca had been forced to wear a pair of Sam's spare boots as she had only brought her high heels, which she returned as quickly as possible. They buckled up and Tucker began to navigate using the map from the Far Frozen.
First stop on the tour.
Not the smoothest but it seemed to be alright in the end.
I think there's some confusion on the timeline. The tour wasn't even suggested until a few weeks after the disasteroid and then Jack and Maddie had to rebuild the portal and Speeder (plus modifications). So it's the middle of the summer holidays now for Danny and co. Just wanted to clarify that this isn't a week or so after the end of Phantom Planet.
Let me know what you guys think of the story so far.
Until the next chapter.