Thanks for the reviews, people! I like hearing your opinions, theories, and questions. They help keep me motivated to work quickly. Apparently you found my portrayal of Clockwork to be entertaining and interesting. I hope you'll have similar opinions concerning the other characters. I swear, researching appropriate slang from the fifties for Poindexter and seventies for Ember is more trouble than it's worth. I should have just re-watched "Back to the Future" to pick up some phrases. But it was part of the funniest aspect of Sydney Poindexter, so I had to include it.
Now, on with the show!
He didn't consider himself a leader. He was a lone hunter, stalking his prey with only his skills with weaponry and wits to depend on. But in a crisis, he could bark orders loudly enough to restore some form of structure and he could direct angry and frightened forces towards a single goal. But he didn't seek leadership and the responsibilities it brought.
But Skulker found himself in that pseudo-role again and tried to make the best of it. Ember flew next to him, her face an equal mixture of stubborn determination, rebellion, and unease. Trailing slightly behind him was Technus, strangely silent. Both of them kept looking to him for direction, wanting him to lead during this dangerous time. At least Ember looking at him like that made some sense, though his girlfriend tended to be more independent. Technus, on the other hand, just randomly bumped into the fleeing couple and decided to join their mad quest. It wasn't much, but Skulker would lead the small group through the insane venture.
A sound captured the hunter's attention and he stopped immediately behind a small floating chunk of land, signaling his companions to follow his example. Something told him that it wasn't Ammit, but Skulker didn't let his guard down. None of them existed when Ammit was last lurking around. Depending solely on rumor and myth to plan a hunt (or how to avoid becoming the hunted) was foolish. Skulker began charging his weaponry, Ember held her pick over the guitar strings in preparation to play a chord, and Technus glanced around anxiously in search of some form of technology to use.
As the source of the noise drew near, it became more recognizable and sounded less than threatening. Sobbing accompanied by constant reassurance rarely came from dangerous sources. Skulker lowered his weapon as a black-and-white teenager floated into view while patting the shoulder of a crying blond young woman. The boy, wearing glasses and looking as if he'd stepped out of a photo from the fifties, still gave off the loser impression that his human self did to the extent that the hunter was resisting the urge to find a locker to stuff him in. The young woman, her appearance suggesting an age of late teens or early twenties while her attire matched the Middle Ages, wore her hair pinned against her head and a necklace around her neck. Neither looked threatening, though Skulker knew the girl possessed a fiery temper. Generally, he would ignore these two meek ghosts, but these weren't normal times.
"Poindexter," he growled in greeting. "Princess Dorathea. What are you doing so far from your territories and could you stop that noise? Stealth is important for hunter and prey alike, so I don't appreciate you drawing everyone's attention with that crying."
Rather than cringing like his general demeanor would suggest, the monochromatic ghost placed himself in between the hunter and the upset green-skinned specter. The withering glare probably would have worked better if Skulker wasn't so much larger and if Poindexter looked less harmless. The urge to do something humiliating to the teenager remained strong and he resisted only because tormenting such weak prey would be completely unsporting. Not to mention juvenile.
"She's upset, Skulker," the black-and-white ghost stated. "Don't be a bully and make it worse. Her square of a brother, Aragon, decided to wig out and ran off to fight Ammit."
"Is he crazy?" asked Ember. "That's a one-way ticket to oblivion."
"Even I, Technus, Master of all Technology, would hesitate to face such a foe alone," announced the specter.
"Hence why she's upset," said Poindexter. "She saw him through a far-out crystal ball and he's gone. Permanent-like."
While not one to pity others, Skulker couldn't help flinching slightly. It was far too easy to imagine him or Ember suffering a similar fate. No one would be safe as long as Ammit was free. There were only a few clear options when faced with such impossible odds. Run and hide or fight and die.
Or find a third choice.
"I know my brother was not necessary a good person," the sniffling specter admitted.
"He was a hot-headed, heartless bully who treated you like a mindless servant and not the swell girl you are," Poindexter said firmly. "Dora, he was awful to you and you had to kick him off the throne because he was just bad news."
"But he was still family and I loved him," she said. "Even after centuries of putting up with his cruel and restrictive treatment, I didn't wish such a fate on him. No one deserves such a thing."
"So what are you and the dork doing out here instead of weeping at home over your creep of a brother's dumb move?" asked Ember. "Isn't that what you medieval-welcome-mat women are supposed to do?"
"We are planning to ask for the aid of someone who helped us in the past," Dora explained. "He and his companions helped me gain the confidence to overthrow my brother in the first place."
"And he helped me stop being the most picked on kid in the school," added Poindexter.
"Wow, he is a miracle worker," Technus said, displaying both sarcasm and no control of his voice's volume.
"Hey, don't let your ponytail and sunglasses fool you," stated Ember. "You're almost as big a dork as the bucked-tooth kid. So don't start getting all high and mighty. Me and Skulker will leave you behind if you annoy the rest of us with your ego. Got it?"
Considering her hair flared rather brightly with annoyance and Technus lacked any real technology to defend himself if left alone, the specter quickly nodded his agreement and fell silent.
"We seem to share a similar goal and thought process concerning Ammit," Skulker said, focusing on the pair of newcomers. "The whelp is a formidable opponent and he has a history of defeating even the most dangerous enemies. He also tries to act as the hero, protecting others from aggressive ghosts. There is little chance he'll ignore Ammit's awakening. An appeal for him to face this new foe will undoubtedly be answered, especially if we bring ghosts he has helped in the past to ensure he listens before sucking us into that cursed thermos."
"So the plan is for us to cower behind Danny Phantom while he faces an unstoppable enemy on his own?" asked Dora, tears gone for the moment.
"That's the plan, Princess," nodded Ember. "He takes the brunt of the attacks and we have time to run if it goes badly. Do you have a better idea?"
"Honestly, you call yourself 'ghosts'?" Poindexter asked, frowning and crossing his skinny arms. "At least you fought alongside the halfa against King Pariah's forces. He's called on us for assistance before, but he doesn't expect us to do everything on our own. That's the difference between tutoring a jock and doing his homework for him so he doesn't give you a wedgie in addition to stuffing you in a locker."
"There is no honor in your plans," added Dora.
"Survival is more important than honor," Skulker barked. "I refuse to end up a pelt on the wall of Ammit's home. You might want to consider that so you don't share your brother's fate."
This time, it was the blond ghost who flinched. In addition, both Ember and Technus gave the hunter a look of disbelief that he would say such a thing. Skulker knew it was a low blow, but none of them would disagree that Prince Aragon's decision to fight was idiotic and the results could easily occur to any of them. He knew when he couldn't win. It went against his nature to simply give up and hide. That was the behavior of the hunted instead of the hunter. It also went against his nature to act stupidly enough to be destroyed by an undefeatable opponent. At least against King Pariah, there was a small chance of victory. Against someone like Ammit, the best they could do would be to toss the ghost child at him and hope that they remained safe.
"I'd hate to bring down all of you, but we're all going to end up like Aragon if we don't do something," stated Poindexter. "He's like the bully to end all bullies. He won't stop until everyone is gone. You can still feel it, can't you? That creeping fear at the back of your mind that keeps telling you that you can't escape? It wasn't just one hit of terror and then it was over. It stays in your head. Jeepers, it still scares me. But I've spent a lot of time dealing with smaller fears and dreads, like what the next prank might be or what the students at my school will do to me because they'll think it's a blast. My human self put up with it until he couldn't anymore and I've dealt with it until my encounter with Danny. I know fear and dread very well. I can ignore that fear he put in all of our heads. At least, I can ignore it enough to think clearly."
As the black-and-white teenager spoke, Skulker realized grudgingly that the unease that remained from Ammit's awakening and his knowledge of the ghost was affecting his decisions more than they should. He knew that his behavior was going against his nature. They were still huddling behind a chunk of rock, like cowering rabbits. It wasn't right. That dread of what was seeking them shifted into anger against the one who sought to turn the great hunter into prey. The hunter hated to admit the skinny bespectacled ghost was right, but Poindexter was making sense. Even if Skulker still wanted to pin him in place with a crossbow again.
Continuing with his attempt as making a dramatic speech, Poindexter asked, "Ember, you want people to remember you. You want them shouting your name and to admire you. Wouldn't you rather be remembered as someone who helped stop Ammit than to be remembered as the girl who split when things get tough?" Turning towards the technopathic specter, he said, "And you're Technus, Ghost Master of Science and Electronic Technology. Not the master of letting someone else do all the work while doing nothing to help." Finishing with the third ghost of the group, Poindexter stated, "And what would everyone say if they found out the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter was trying to run away like a coward so that the ghost boy could fix things by himself? You'll either lose your prized prey or you'll have proof that Danny is undefeatable. Either way, there won't be any more hunting the halfa for you."
"You're on thin ice, Poindexter," Skulker growled. "My patience with you is fading."
"My point is that we have to help him. Wouldn't it be smarter to have as many ghosts against Ammit as possible rather than let him pick us off one at a time? There's strength in numbers. Rather than just ask Danny to stop him alone, we could team up with him to make the best attempt possible to succeed. If we win, you can go back to hunting him another day. If we lose, we'll simply be destroyed sooner rather than later."
Dora gave the black-and-white specter a small smile as he finished speaking. Technus and Ember glanced at Skulker, waiting to see what he would do. They still considered him as their leader for the moment it would seem. They wanted him to make the final decision.
"The dork does have a point," the musician said evenly. "Ammit will wipe us all out if given the chance. And we can't hide forever."
Giving his girlfriend a brief grin that would look natural on most dangerous predators, Skulker declared, "I, for one, have never liked being another's prey. Nor do I like taking orders from someone when there is nothing in it for me. And if Ammit's awakening is pressing fear and unease into the minds of all ghosts, causing us to scurry away and hide to make his hunt more interesting, then I suggest that we don't bend to his will quite so easily. As much as I hate to say it, the scrawny little ghost is right. Helping the whelp would be the best option. Though, be warned, Poindexter. If you should insult my reputation as a hunter again, I will use your hide to craft a jacket for Ember's next concert." As both the monochromatic ghost and the musician grimaced at the hunter's description, he added thoughtfully, "I wonder if it would be possible to collect Ammit's pelt for my collection if we somehow emerge victorious."
The number of ghosts coming through the portal was beginning to ebb, so Jazz felt it was safe to bring Tucker and Sam down to the basement without having to worry about her parents becoming overly enthusiastic with their shooting and thinking there were "ghosts" behind them. Since Danny wasn't back yet, the three of them decided to start looking through Sam's books for any clue about what might be going on. Meanwhile, the two adults in the lab kept watch on the swirling green opening to another dimension and firing every time a straggler decided to try escaping to the human world. There wasn't much discussion at the moment, but Tucker would pause every now and then to check for messages on his PDA in regards to what was going on with the rest of the town.
"Okay, I'm starting to get a little concerned now," muttered Tucker, staring at the screen.
"What? What happened?" Sam asked, glancing up from the book in her hands.
The bespectacled boy waved his PDA, "There's no ghost activity at all in Amity Park. I mean, not a single hint that dozens of ghosts have been flying out of the portal unhindered."
"Hey, we're hindering them," interrupted Jack before another green figure dove out of the Ghost Zone and straight through the floor.
"But once I check on things outside the city limits, there are news reports all over the world about ghosts popping up. Not all of them are doing anything major, but they're still being sighted," explained Tucker. "Like there's this small town in Kansas where, at a seven year old girl's birthday party, she actually got a pony after blowing out the candles. A pony that glows green and tried to trample someone. There are news crews there now filming other weird occurrences like killer lollipops."
"Desiree," Sam muttered. "Can you find a way to communicate with the people in that town?"
"You're asking me to find a way to contact a small group of people in a different state, with no name, number, or email address to use as a starting point?" he asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow.
"Pretty much," she nodded.
"Give me five minutes," he said simply.
Turning her attention back to the book, Sam instructed, "Let me know when you have contact with someone on site. Preferably on a cell phone."
"How is it that the reality warping ghost is the easiest to deal with?" asked the boy, apparently beginning his search for contact information.
"She's only easy if you know she's listening and we can actually think for two seconds. Otherwise someone ends up dealing with her messed-up wishes and forgetting to just simplify things. Most ghosts you have to fight or trick. Desiree just needs someone to say the magic words."
"I'm beginning to see how the kids could have been resourceful enough to combat the town's ghost problem without letting us know what they were up to," muttered Maddie quietly enough that Jazz could barely hear it.
"They've had plenty of practice," the red-haired girl replied equally softly, startling her mother who didn't seem to realize she'd been overheard.
"There are plenty of other ghosts popping up all over the world, but at least we can handle Desiree at a distance," Tucker continued. "But why aren't they making themselves known in Amity Park? There's reports even coming in from the neighboring towns, but nothing within the city itself. We seem like practically the only specter-free section at the moment. But that's crazy since we should have more due to the permanent ghost portal and the large numbers swarming out. So why don't we have reports going crazy like the rest of the world?"
"They're keeping a low profile for some reason. The others, those who are coming out of natural portals, know that ghost hunters are spread out and they don't have to worry too much," Sam said.
"But the idea of the Fenton family scares them far too much to risk it in our town, right?" said Jack, a proud grin spreading instantly across his face.
Rather than point out that it was more likely Danny they were afraid of running into, Jazz continued the other girl's line of thought, "They don't want to get caught and tossed back in the Ghost Zone, so they're trying to hide as best they can in Amity Park. The others don't worry as much because they can't be thrown back into their dimension as easily."
"Exactly," nodded Sam. "They'd rather keep a low profile than deal with whatever is in the Ghost Zone right now."
The Goth girl glanced towards the portal momentarily, a slight frown appearing on her face before she turned back to the books she'd brought from home. Jazz didn't have to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking about. She was worried about her brother being in the Ghost Zone with whatever was scaring the ghosts too.
Almost as if summoned by the combined worry of his family, friends, and girlfriend, Danny flew through the Ghost Portal and landed on the ground in front of it.
"Don't shoot," he immediately said, noticing his parents automatically reacting by raising weapons. "It's just me."
"Sorry, Sweetie," Maddie instantly apologized, directing her aim elsewhere. "We thought you were someone else. Ghosts just keep coming through."
"And not just here," said Tucker. "They're popping up all over the world, freaking people out. The only place they aren't making a scene is, ironically, Amity Park."
"We figured out where Desiree is," Sam added. "Tucker is trying to get in contact with someone there."
"Not 'trying'," he smiled, holding up his cell phone. "Succeeding. I've got a call going to the new reporter on site. Do you want to do the honors?"
Danny nodded, rings of light encircling his body briefly as he switched to his more ordinary appearance. He held out his hand briefly and his friend tossed him the phone.
Holding it up to his ear, he waited a moment before saying, "Hey, I need you to do me a real quick favor. Please put your phone on speaker and point it towards the floating lady with green skin." There was a brief pause while Danny also switched the cell phone to speaker. Then, in a clear and calm voice, he said, "I wish that you would switch everything back to normal, stop causing problems and freaking out the locals, hide somewhere out of the way where no one can find you to make wishes, and return to the Ghost Zone in three days without making a fuss when it is safe to do so."
Even over the phone's small speakers, Jazz could hear a voice announce, "So you have wished it, so shall it be."
"And that takes care of at least one problem," he smiled, hanging up the cell phone and handing it back to Tucker.
"Why wait three days?" asked Sam. "What's going on in the Ghost Zone?"
"Remember King Pariah? We're about to be dealing with the guy who almost beat him, Clockwork, and a bunch of other powerful ghosts in the distant past," he stated, the grin evaporating. "And he'll apparently be coming to Amity Park tomorrow afternoon."
"Wait, what?" asked the three younger members of his audience in unison.
"Wasn't King Pariah the one who pulled out town into the Ghost Zone?" said Jack. "I was kind of having trouble paying attention during that because of the whole Ecto-Skeleton problem… What did happen to it?"
"Blame Vlad," Jazz stated quickly, turning her attention back to her brother. "Tell us more, Danny."
He gave Sam a quick look, "Any of your books talk about someone called 'Ammit'?"
"Hang on," she said, flipping through the pages. "I think I saw something earlier." The black-haired girl finally stopped and pointed at a section of the page, "Here we are. Ammit, also pronounced Ammut or Ahemait, was a female demon in Egyptian mythology who would hang out next to the scales they used to weigh a person's heart to figure out if they were a good or bad person."
"A 'female' demon? I thought Danny said this guy was a dude," interrupted Tucker.
"Clockwork also said that humans got a lot of things wrong. They sort of just borrowed the name rather than copying every detail of the guy," explained the dark-haired boy. "But I want to hear what they say anyway. Maybe the ancient Egyptians got something right we can use."
"Well, let's see," muttered Sam, turning back to the book. "Ammit has a few rather unpleasant titles. She's the 'Devourer,' the 'Devourer of Millions,' the 'Devourer of the Dead,' and the 'Soul-eater.' She's called this because, if a dead person was a found to be more bad than good, she'd get to eat their heart and deny them any further existence in the afterlife."
"So Ammit is meant to kill the dead. At least that part explains why everyone was running for safety," remarked Jazz.
"The most common depiction of Ammit is to show her as having the head of a crocodile, the torso of a wild cat or lion, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. Since these are the three most dangerous creatures the Egyptians knew of and the end of a soul's existence being the thing they dreaded most, Ammit was viewed as a very dangerous entity. She wasn't worshipped as a god like the other figures in their mythology. She was the embodiment of their greatest fears," concluded the black-haired girl.
"Well, I couldn't tell for certain what he looked like when Clockwork showed him to me. He was always surrounded by shadows," described Danny. "But even the stories in your book seem to be pointing out that Ammit is someone to fear. And I don't think that he'll restrict himself to just attacking bad guys. Judging by the fact he will be showing up in our world tomorrow, I don't think he'll just destroying ghosts either."
"Having him pop up in the middle of Amity Park won't help our tourist industry," Tucker said. "So what's the plan?"
Before anyone could make a single suggestion, something came out of the Ghost Zone and fired.
A green glowing net launched forward, ensnaring their parents and pinning them against the far wall. While neither seemed to be hurt by the experience, it was enough of a distraction for several ghosts to come out of the portal. And unlike those from before, none of them seemed to be trying to escape. Jazz recognized the ones in front, either from experience or from the time she went through Danny's ghost files. Technus, the green-skinned man with shades and white hair pulled back in a ponytail, was on the left. Ember, a fiery blue-haired musician, was on the right. And in the center, a cannon on his arm demonstrating the source of the net, was the ghost she once called Ghost X when she first began helping her brother: Skulker.
"Really? You want to do this now?" growled Danny, shifting into his ghost form as he glared at them. "Why would you think coming into my house and attacking my parents would be a good idea?"
"Because, Whelp, we'd rather not be blasted back into the Ghost Zone before we finish speaking," snapped Skulker.
"That still wasn't very nice," another voice stated as a black-and-white teenager slipped by the hulking figure. "We're here to ask him a favor. We should at least try to stay on his good side."
"Sidney Poindexter?" said Danny, Sam, and Tucker in unison.
A green-skinned young woman in a blue dress that seemed to be from the Dark Ages quickly joined the bespectacled specter with a small smile. Neither of them looked as hostile as the three other ghosts in the room.
"We apologize for their behavior," the female ghost stated.
"Dora? What's going on here?" asked Sam.
Adjusting his glasses, Sidney Poindexter said, "I assume you've noticed all the ghosts wigging out lately."
"Yeah, and we know that some guy named Ammit is responsible," Danny stated, still eyeing Skulker suspiciously. "What does that have to do with trapping my parents?"
"I told you, Whelp, we didn't want to be blasted while explaining that we don't plan to let Ammit destroy us all," growled the ghost with green fire for hair.
"We know you, dipstick," continued Ember. "We know you have this hero thing where you'll try to stop him. And we know you're tough enough to give him a run for his money, at least compared to what most ghosts would do to the guy. Of course, you probably wouldn't win, but you'd at least slow him down."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Danny muttered.
"But the dork and his girlfriend pointed out that Ammit will still come after us after he pulverizes you, meaning we'll get picked off one by one," she said. "And none of us are really happy with that idea."
"So then I, Technus, Master of All Things Electronic and Beeping, helped devise a brilliant strategy to avoid that fate," declared the ghost.
"Silence," snapped Skulker. "You did no such thing. You just trailed around behind us hoping to stay safe until you could find some form of technology."
Sidney said, "We decided that, since you are our best hope of stopping him, we should try and help you do it. There is strength and numbers, after all."
"Wait, you're offering to help us?" asked Jazz, deciding to make use of herself and heading over to try freeing her parents from the net.
"Precisely," nodded the monochromatic ghost, adjusting his glasses.
"While all of this is fascinating," said Maddie as she tried to pry the net loose from the wall, "I have to wonder why you would make such an offer after my son apparently beat you all at one point or another."
"Teaming up against a common foe or threat is something that we have done in the past," stated Dora. "If both humans and ghosts were in danger, we have set aside our differences when necessary. Such was the case against King Pariah and when Danny asked for our help against the asteroid. Is it so strange that we would ask for his help when he has made the same request from him? And would it not be wiser to unite all of our strength against Ammit?"
"United we stand, divided we fall," muttered Tucker.
"We all team up, beat Ammit before he can destroy us, and then we go back to hating each other the next day. Do we have a deal or not?" Ember asked.
Sighing tiredly, Danny said, "Well, Clockwork told me to accept any help that comes our way, so we have to agree."
"Really? Do we have to?" asked Jack just as the net popped loose and freed the parents.
"He's the Master of Time. If he says to do something, the smartest thing would be to do it," the white-haired teen nodded.
"Welcome to Team Phantom, Dora," smiled Sam, extending a hand to the specter. "We're glad to have you along for the ride."
"Thank you," she smiled back.
"And now I'm not the biggest geek in the group," Tucker said, glancing towards Sidney.
Stepping forward so that he was looming over Danny, Skulker stated, "Be aware, Whelp, that this is only a temporary alliance. As soon as the current complication has past, everything will return to how it once was. That means the hunt will resume and your pelt—"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," muttered Ember, rolling her eyes. "We all know the routine by now. 'Phantom's pelt will rest on the foot of your bed.' That's what you always say. I think you're just going through the motions by now since you know it isn't going to happen."
"Don't mock me, woman," he shouted.
"What's the matter, O Great Hunter? Afraid someone will notice your failures? After all, you keep promising to hunt him down and yet there he is," she smirked, gesturing at Danny. "Still in one piece and completely free after all this time."
"He's a tricky and valuable prey. One that lesser hunters would stand no chance of capturing," he said. "I have come far closer than any other."
"Actually, Jazz one time caught him three times in a single night, including sucking him into the Fenton Thermos," interrupted Tucker, earning a glare from Danny and a sheepish look from Jazz as their parents glanced at her in confusion.
"Stay out of this," Ember and Skulker snapped in unison.
Technus floated a little farther away from the pair, eyeing them nervously as their fiery hair seemed to ignite further. Dora and Sidney also appeared to have the wisdom to give them some more space. Even without any further evidence, Jazz could tell the two were a couple and interfering would be hazardous to everyone's health. In a way, it was rather fascinating to observe the mentality of ghosts in a relationship and how they behaved towards each other. On the other hand, they were discussing Skulker's capability to catch her brother and toss his pelt onto the foot of the guy's bed. At least Danny didn't look nervous about the conversation. In fact, he looked mildly amused.
"The whelp will someday be mine. Each defeat of impossible opponents and each impossible goal accomplished merely makes him a more valuable prize," continued the hunter. "His hide will be the jewel of my collection once I succeed. No hunt will ever compare to the one he provides."
"So you let him beat you all the time because you'll be bored once he's gone?" Ember asked. "Is that your new excuse?"
"I have never just let him defeat me," he growled. "He is a worthy opponent, one that deserves my complete skills to combat. And it will be a shame to lose such a challenging prey someday. Without the thrill of such a challenging hunt, I don't know what I shall do to occupy my time."
"I'm glad to know that you find me so dull in comparison to hunting down Phantom," snapped Ember. "After all, it would be absolutely crazy to spend time with your girlfriend."
"You're twisting my words," Skulker yelled back. "And I offered to give you his severed head after I finish hunting him down and taking his pelt. Don't you know what a generous gift that is? I could have easily stuck it on my wall instead. You're just unappreciative."
"You think I want a smelly old head as a gift? Dream on, dipstick," she shouted at the larger ghost. "You're the one who wants to use your prey for decorating ideas, not me."
"And as fun as it is to hear my enemies discussing how my demise would affect their love life, I think we should probably focus on the current situation instead," interrupted Danny. "You know, the whole 'Ammit guy deciding to wipe us all out of existence' thing? I'm sure my sister can help you with some nice couples counseling later. She's good at that sort of thing."
While Jazz smiled slightly at her brother praising her knowledge of psychology, she did feel the need to interject an important fact.
"Do keep in mind that I'm not technically a trained professional yet and that dealing with couples hasn't been my focus up to this point. I'll be happy to help the best I can, but I just thought I should warn you about that. I do better with child psychology and psychological complexes."
"Honestly, I think they could all use some professional help," muttered Tucker under his breath. "And probably us as well."
"We don't need couples counseling," Skulker snapped. "But the ghost child is right. We should focus on matters at hand."
"Great, now that we have that settled, let's move on to planning a way to keep Ammit from killing all of us horribly," said Danny. "And we only have until tomorrow afternoon since he'll apparently be popping up in Amity Park around then. Any suggestions?"
No one immediately spoke. Jazz noticed her parents were eyeing the ghosts suspiciously, but they weren't blasting them to oblivion at the moment and teenage girl considered that progress. Tucker was back on his PDA, looking for his answers within technology. Technus was looking around the basement with an expression of glee that would look appropriate on a kid studying his birthday presents. Everyone else was either shooting quick glares at possible enemies or concentrating on figuring out a possible strategy against someone that Jazz only knew the basics about.
Then, from somewhere around the ceiling, a voice decided to interrupt their thoughts.
"Beware!" the voice shouted as a short, blue-skinned ghost phased through the ceiling and floated there with his hands held out in an attempt to be scary. "I am the Box Ghost! I come to warn you of your impending doom, though I am not the source of such chaos this time. A powerful evil has awakened and will soon rain down terror and destruction on everyone."
"We already know that," stated Danny in a flat tone.
"Oh…" the Box Ghost said awkwardly. "Uh… I guess… Can I help?"
"What?" asked Danny, his tone still completely flat and disbelief clear in his voice.
Regaining his earlier volume and apparent confidence, he declared, "I am the Box Ghost and I insist on helping you defeat this terrifying foe. For no one shall deliver true terror and horror except for myself and the cardboard doom that I provide."
Jazz noticed that almost every other ghost in the basement, Sam, Tucker, and Danny were practically rolling their eyes at the Box Ghost's words. There were even a few groans of annoyance from the human teens in the room. She thought she saw a momentary frown appear on the blue-skinned ghost, but it quickly vanished as he tried to look menacing.
"Do we have to have him along?" Skulker asked.
"Can't we just toss him in a thermos for his own safety? And our sanity?" suggested Tucker.
Danny replied, "If he wants to help, I won't stop him. But if I hear the word 'beware' too many times, he can help us by serving as target practice. Or I could have my parents have fun with him."
"We could always do with more test subjects," grinned Jack.
"If you require me to refrain from declarations to beware, then I shall hold my tongue so you are not in a state of constant fear of my might," said the Box Ghost.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that," muttered Sam. "Who knows how afraid we might become if you keep telling us to 'beware.'"
"Terrific, we have that cleared up now," Danny said. "Now, back to the problem of the ghost who intends to destroy us all. What are we going to do?"
He stared at the stars twinkling in the darkness. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so conflicted about what he should do. He always had a plan that would benefit him in the long run. He manipulated events like a puppeteer did the strings of his marionette. Even with setbacks and failures, he always knew what he was doing and he knew success would bring what he wanted. His sanity might have begun to fray in the time period after his failures with the clones and his goals might have shifted, but there was always a plan with a clear reward in mind. He always knew what to do.
Now, his mind clear and his ego humbled, he couldn't decide what to do. There was no benefit for himself if he returned. He couldn't regain his reputation, his financial success, his political power, or even his home. Those were forfeit the moment he revealed his secret in the most risky and boastful power-play possible and discovered his figurative hidden ace was useless. A promise to save the planet in exchange for money he didn't really need, power and authority that he felt he deserved, the opportunity to rub it in the face of the boy who refused to bend to his wishes, and the chance to stop the charade of being that idiot's friend. And, at least on some level, he hoped that all of it would be enough to win over the woman he loved. He took a big risk and lost it all. And going back wouldn't let him regain it.
In addition to not being able to regain what he'd lost, he would be placing himself in harm's way. Why should he take the risk when he could stay out in the silent, empty void of space? Every shred of logic screamed at him to stay away. There was nothing to gain by returning and everyone would see him as the enemy, even if Ammit wasn't an issue. He couldn't defeat a whole planet. And even his formerly immense ego wouldn't urge him to face an impossible opponent with no resources. He couldn't win by going back. Returning would likely lose him the only thing he had left: his life. Why would he even consider risking such a thing?
Maddie.
Vlad knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he still loved her. Not the selfish, possessive, smothering love that he once grasped tightly and committed every crime possible in pursuit of. An obsessive love the fueled his every thought while he remained trapped in a hospital after the accident, growing more and more bitter and tainted by fury as she fell for and married another man. That dark and corrupted love that motivated him for years and clouded his mind from realizing what he already possessed, that was fed by his pride and greed, and that turned him into the man he was today, had already shattered during his first week in the isolation of space. That wasn't the form of love that she deserved. That was the form of love that led a man to collecting expensive artwork and trying to buy the Packers. It was shallow, treating her like a possession to be won and kept in his mansion, and in the end caused more harm than good.
His desire to have Danny was the same thing. He saw the boy as Maddie's son. He saw Danny as an extension of her. And when he realized the boy was also half-ghost, it seemed too good to be true. He was the child of Maddie with the powers that made Vlad who he was. Danny was like the metaphorical son of both of them, almost a sign that he and Maddie belonged together. But then he pushed the boy too far and Danny shattered his patience in return, helping fuel Vlad's descent into malicious mental instability until his goals became clouded. He lost sight of his desire to gain Maddie.
He couldn't have her. He resisted and fought for the longest time, trying his best not to admit such a thing. He wanted her, imagined a thousand ways to have her (most of them involving the demise of Jack Fenton), and kept hoping for years that he would manage his goal someday. But isolation, silence, and loneliness beyond his worst nightmares forced his twisted and angry mind so far that true sanity and calm were the only options left to him. He could see his behavior and decisions with a detached point of view. He couldn't have Maddie. He didn't deserve her and he wasn't a man who was worthy of her by this point. The only way he'd be able to have her now would be to either lock her away so she could escape or to find some way to alter her mind so she wouldn't try to leave him. And then she'd either be miserable or she wouldn't be herself.
Jack Fenton, the one he blamed for many years as the source of all his woes, was far less at fault when he thought about it with a level head. The accident was exactly that: an accident. All three of them were involved in the creation of that first portal. Anything could have happened when a trio of college students begins messing with the barrier between two dimensions. It could have affected him, Jack, or Maddie. It was chance that led to Vlad being the one to be changed. And, when it came down to it, the larger man always tried to be a friend and do what he thought was right. Some of his actions and behavior might have been obliviousness to the point of near stupidity, but the rest of it was genuine affection on Jack's part. Even the knowledge of Vlad being half-ghost wasn't enough destroy that offering of friendship until the smaller man pushed things too far. Jack annoyed and frustrated him since the beginning, but he was loyal to a fault. If Vlad just told him in the beginning that he was in love with Maddie, there was a distinct possibility that Jack would have simply backed off and let him have her. And as for stealing Maddie away, that would imply that she didn't have a say in the matter. She's the one who chose the orange jumpsuit-wearing, mountain of a man. She's the one who decided she would rather have a life, a home, and children with Jack. She was happy with her life, the one she built with Jack Fenton rather than Vlad Masters.
He couldn't have her and he could finally accept that as a fact. The burning, obsessive, unrelenting desire to have her finally flickered out, leaving him numb and empty. But he still loved her. Not really in a romantic sense, though his more cynical thoughts were quick to point out he never loved her in a truly romantic sense since his feelings were always corrupted by various selfish thoughts. Now, his head clear and everything else in his life now gone, his remaining emotions towards the woman he'd obsessed over for decades were simpler. He cared about Maddie's happiness and well-being. And if Jack Fenton, of all people, made her happy…
There was a figure of speech that he loathed at times, but could now see the wisdom of: if you truly love something, let it go.
The well-being of Maddie and her family, however, was the problem at the moment. If Ammit really was awake, it was only a matter of time until he showed up in the human world. That would place Danny right in the line of fire since he seemed to have an unwavering hero complex. The other Fentons, undoubtedly still ignorant of their son's actions, would quickly join in. And while Vlad floated far away and safe in the empty solitude of space, they would fall.
Danny: the uncompromising boy he wanted to make into his son either directly or through cloning when it became clear he wouldn't change his mind.
Jazz: the brilliant young woman who combined the mind of her mother with the sparks of genius that Vlad reluctantly admitted that her father occasionally displayed, leaving the girl with more potential than either of her parents while still being uniquely herself.
Jack: the insanely loyal friend he neither wanted at most times nor deserved at all during his life.
Maddie: the woman he'd always loved, always would love, and was just now learning to love properly and unselfishly.
He had nothing to truly gain by returning to Earth and he could lose his life if he encountered Ammit. It was smarter to stay away, floating and drifting randomly in between the planets with only the silent stars for company. There was no logical reason to take the risk of going back.
But there were four emotional reasons why he couldn't stay away when there was even the slightest chance that he could keep them safe. He still loved her, even if he couldn't have her. He couldn't let Maddie be harmed when he still held the power to make a difference. There were enough regrets in his life without adding four graves to haunt his mind. It was a crazy decision, but hadn't Danny been calling him fruit-loops for quite some time?
He knew which way was Earth. Even in his self-induced banishment, Vlad always paid attention to where his old home was. Without giving himself time to change his mind, he ended his random floating and took flight through the solar system towards his goal.
"At least I didn't go past Mars," he muttered, speaking aloud for the first time in a long time. "That would take even longer to go home from."
Yeah, I am under no illusions about Vlad. He was a selfish, obsessive, evil fruit-loop. Even without ghost powers and with Maddie as his wife, we've seen that he grows up to be a fairly bad guy. On the other hand, we've also seen a future where he spends about a decade in regret and loneliness until he is almost a semi-reasonable human being. Basically, he has the capacity to get better than how he used to be. He just needs something big to bash through his "crazed-up fruit-loop"-ness and get him to realize that he isn't going to get what he wants. Once he figures out he won't get his dream reality and that it is his own fault that caused him to lose what he already had, then we can start seeing some sanity starting to seep through. I think he was an evil, possessive, messed up, jerk in the show. I also think there is the capacity to change when the right stimulus is applied. Just don't expect everyone to welcome him back with open arms.
On a different note, I had fun playing around a little with Skulker and Ember as a couple. I just kept imagining them as this dysfunctional, argumentative pair that spends at least half their time together making snide comments about the other or yelling insults. I can't see them as a quiet couple who spend their time making goo-goo eyes at each other (though that would be hilarious).
And basically calling in to solve the Desiree problem… Yeah, that amused me. You know that it would be that simple if the characters ever sat down and thoughts about it.
Thanks for the feedback. I look forward to finding out what you think of this chapter and your predictions for the future.