"What happened?" Danny yelled, sprinting up to Dash. His aching feet spasmed in protest, but the hero ignored them.
"That thing," babbled Valerie, "it just appeared, and then Star fell!"
"It ate my friend!" wailed Paullina.
Their guide groaned. "That's a natural portal," he explained. "Portals between Earth and the Ghost Zone open and close all the time. They're the reason ghost stories got started in the first place. Unfortunately, they're unpredictable. I don't know where this one goes or even when, because a lot of portals will move through time as well as space. It might not even lead to the human world at all, just a different part of the Zone."
"That's nice and all, but what do we do?" snapped Valerie. "Star is my friend. If she hasn't come out by now, it's because she can't!"
The lovebirds glanced at each other. "We should all go in," Sam sighed. "It's not smart to get separated in the Ghost Zone. We need to stay together."
Danny nodded. "I'll go first, just in case there's a monster or something waiting for us."
Paullina gulped. "Wait, are you sure we all have to go in? Because I was doing just fine right here."
"Yes," her guide replied shortly. Without further ado, he leapt into the portal.
Sam and Valerie would never be close friends, but they knew how to work together. Acting as one, the two girls shoved Paullina in after Danny before following themselves. Dash brought up the rear, clutching Skulker's arm cannon like a lifeline.
The five schoolmates found themselves in a place that was familiar and strange at the same time: Caspar High. They knew the building like the back of their hands, and this was definitely the main hall, but it couldn't be. Caspar High was a colorful place: blue lockers, tan doors with silver panels. This place was painted in gray and sepia like some old photograph. Even the students were colorless.
Star was fine- paralyzed with terror, but still fine. As Sam tried to calm her down, Danny looked around with a professional eye. "I know this place," he commented. "It's the realm of Sidney Poindexter."
"Y'mean that one geek who haunts a locker back home?"
"Yeah. Unfortunately, it means that we're still in the Ghost Zone, and we should head back through the portal. Poindexter's realm is almost two days further away from our destination."
"That's a great idea," Sam growled. "There's just one problem."
"What?"
"Look behind you. The portal's closed."
Star whimpered as teenage spirits pressed around her. "Calm down," Sam ordered. "They're not real ghosts. These things are called constructs, and they're nothing but an imprint of Poindexter's memories. He's the only 'real' ghost here."
"You bet I am!" said a high-pitched voice. The group turned to see the nerdiest-looking being they'd ever laid eyes on. Poindexter had it all: hall monitor's sash, oversized glasses, even a slide protector. "But what are humans doing here and why do you know so much about me?"
Danny sidled over to Dash, hiding part of his face behind the jock's bulk. The quarterback raised an eyebrow. Danny shook his head, signaling silence. Dash shrugged.
If they were lucky, Poindexter wouldn't recognize him. He'd grown over the years, filled out. His outfit was different, navy jeans and a long-sleeved red shirt to hide his scars. His face had become leaner and his hair had grown out slightly. Even his voice was different, changing from Danny's tenor to Dan's silky baritone. That had taken some getting used to- he'd actually taken a vow of silence for over a week before Sam and Tucker convinced him they didn't mind.
"She fell through a portal," Sam explained, jutting her thumb towards Star. "We came to rescue her, but the portal closed behind us. I don't suppose you could get us back to the human realm?"
Poindexter scowled. "Not anymore. Ever since the halfa destroyed my mirror, I've been stuck here." He considered. "I suppose you could stay the night, though. I get lonely."
Valerie gawked. That she was having a civil conversation with a ghost that wasn't trying to kill them all seemed totally impossible. For a moment she wondered if she was dreaming, but a sharp pain from her feet proved that it was real.
"Let's see," the geek muttered, totally unaware that he was rearranging her entire worldview, "there are four girls and two- Hey, I know you!"
Dang. Apparently the changes in his appearance weren't enough. Danny cut him off before he could say anything incriminating. "Yeah, you haunted my locker once. Otherwise, I don't know anything about you."
"But I know all about you," bubbled Poindexter, not taking the hint. His eyes shone with hero worship. "You're the halfa."
Valerie blinked. "The what-a?"
Double dang. "I'd just love to stick around and chat, but we kind of need to get going."
Poindexter slumped. "Oh," he said sadly. "Well, I suppose I could try to reactivate my mirror, but you'd probably end up in a dump or something since it's broken."
The humans and halfa didn't hesitate. A dump in their own dimension sounded a lot more appealing than a high school in this one.
"There's food in the cafeteria," the nerd continued. "I don't know if it's edible for humans, though." He paused. "Actually, I don't know if it's edible, period. It is a cafeteria, after all."
Danny glanced at Valerie. If he went to the caf with them, she'd begin the interrogation. He didn't want to be interrogated. "I'll come with you," the hybrid volunteered.
Poindexter perked up. "Golly gee, really? Yay!" Wrapping an arm around Danny's shoulder and completely ignoring his guest's flabbergasted face, the nerd escorted the halfa away from the humans. "I probably don't have enough power to reactivate the portal, but I bet you do!"
Horrified, Danny looked back at his classmates, but they hadn't heard. "Look, I know that you have the best intentions and all, but could you please stop mentioning that I'm half-ghost? Sam knows, but the others are totally clueless and one of them hates my ghost half."
"Okey dokey then."
It was a good thing he'd decided to go with Poindexter, because the contructs recognized him too. Not a minute went by when some sepia jock DIDN'T slap his shoulders and congratulate him on defeating Pariah Dark, or reference his last visit to the colorless school, or ask if he'd really thrown this or that ghost back to the Underworld. Even worse, they called him "Phantom," not "Danny." It was really very distracting when he was trying to reactivate a portal to the human world.
Finally, after half an hour of interrupted work, the one-and-a-half ghosts managed to create a portal roughly the size and shape of a door. Poindexter beamed, puffing out his skinny chest with pride.
Danny grinned back. "Thanks," he said, and was surprised to realize that he actually meant it. "I'll find some way to reward you, maybe some gold or something."
"You have gold?"
The hero grimaced. "Yeah. When I defeated Pariah Dark, I kind of inherited everything he owned."
The nerd's eyes bulged. "Holy guacamole," he breathed. "The rumors are true. You're the k-"
"That's another thing you're not supposed to mention in front of the humans."
"Yes, my liege- I mean, Your Maj-"
"After the favor you just did me, it's Danny," the halfa said quietly.
Poindexter's bulging eyes glazed over.
Three minutes later, all the full-humans were in their own realm. Only Danny and Poindexter remained. The halfa stepped towards the portal, ready to go back. He didn't really want to leave- FentonWorks wasn't his home any more- but he had to.
"Wait!" yelled Poindexter. "Can I have your autograph?"
It was a very bemused Danny who went through the portal. Sam gave him a weird look. "I don't think we're in a dump," she commented dryly.
"That's because we're not," hissed Valerie.
They had ended up in what could only be described as a stereotypical prison cell: dark, dank, slime oozing down the walls, thick iron bars covering the tiny exit. Across the hall, they could see a group of filthy men in jumpsuits wolf whistling at the four females.
Danny jerked around to the portal, but it had closed. "Flames between!" he cursed, forgetting that it was Phantom's most famous oath.
"Someone's coming!" yelled Dash. "Good sir, we're trapped! Could you please let us out?"
Everyone stared. Dash covered his mouth. "Did I really just say that?"
"Indeed," Danny murmured. He and Poindexter had connected with the mirror- he could see it on the walls, the cell's only decoration- but they'd ended up in the wrong time. "I believe that we have been transported to another era, probably around a century or two ago. We are speaking in this manner because of laws laid down by a ghost, the Master of All Time. He created them that temporally displaced persons such as ourselves might fit in with the inhabitants of whenever they found themselves."
The barred door creaked open, revealing a perplexed-seeming man in a prison uniform. His expression became appalled at seeing the girls' clothing. This was an era of floor-length skirts, multiple petticoats, and corsets. Even Sam's modest purple cargo pants and black tank top were nothing short of scandalous.
"How did young'uns like you end up here?" he asked. "And the ladies in nothing but their barest knickers!" That seemed to disturb him far more than their actual presence.
"I'm a distant relative of the warden," Danny improvised. "He wanted more guards, so Dashiel and I came with our fiancées-" he gestured at Sam and Paullina "his sister-" Star "and a serving girl." He felt really bad about making Valerie a servant, but that WAS the primary occupation of black women in the nineteenth century. For all he knew, slavery was still legal! "We decided to explore the premises and seem to have locked ourselves inside." He grinned sheepishly, praying that the guard didn't ask about the girls' clothing.
"Well," guard sniffed, "I don't know how you attire yourselves where you come from, but here, women are expected to dress like proper ladies."
"We're very sorry, sir," mumbled Star. "Do you perhaps know where we could acquire some appropriate clothes?"
"Perhaps the warden's wife will help you," the guard replied.
They really had no choice but to follow him through the maze of cells. As they walked, ill-kept men shouted obscenities at the four girls. Danny nearly got whiplash from turning around and snarling at everyone who insulted Sam.
The ground floor of the prison was much more welcoming, and the little home above the ground level was better still. A middle-aged woman in dark blue sat in a poufy cream chair, working her embroidery hoop with practiced precision. She stared curiously at her new guests.
Danny shot her his most charming smile. As Phantom, that cheeky grin had caused several fangirls to faint. The woman in blue didn't faint, but she did smile widely back at him.
"Ma'am, these are your husband's- er- how are you related again?"
"I'm his third cousin twice removed. We're here because he requested more guards. My name is Daniel, and this is my fiancée Samantha. The other man is Dashiel with his fiancée Paullina, his sister Star, and their servant Valerie. It's truly a pleasure to meet you, madam."
She held out a hand, not blinking twice as Danny bowed over and kissed it instead of shaking it. "Please, Daniel, call me Yvonne. After all, we are cousins, and if you are to join the guards we will get to know each other very well. Heaven knows we certainly need more help, especially since-" She hesitated. "Never you mind. Where are you and your friends from?"
"A farm out west," he replied vaguely, hoping that they weren't on the West Coast. "Unfortunately, our choice of attire is rather different there. Do you perhaps know of a place where we could find our women proper clothing?"
Yvonne's face lit up. "Oh, but of course! I still have all of Melissa's dresses; I haven't been able to let them go. It will be wonderful to see them worn again. Come along, girls. Perhaps when Jedidiah gets home he can find Daniel and Dashiel something to wear."
"A good thing you found the missus," commented the helpful guard. "Kin or not, Warden Walker would have thrown you back in the cell."
Danny's heart skipped a beat. A warden named Jedidiah Walker? He could just imagine the future ghost's reaction to seeing him in this time. He'd probably get another five thousand years in prison. "Thank you for the warning," he said politely. "Who, though, is Melissa? My cousin did not mention her."
The guard flinched. "I am not surprised," he admitted. "Miss Melissa was his daughter, and you could never imagine a livelier or sweeter girl. One day, almost five years ago now, she was sitting in the garden when one of the ruffians we keep below came up and- well, you heard what they said to your lovely fiancées. Lechers, every one of them. Miss Melissa was a pretty girl, and the man who found her hadn't… ah… encountered a woman for years. He fell upon her like a starving wolf. Two days later, the poor girl died of heartbreak. Neither Walker likes to talk about it."
"And no wonder," murmured the halfa. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the skull-faced warden, even though they weren't on the best of terms. It was easy to see how losing a beloved child to criminals had caused him to obsess over rules. "That is truly an awful tale."
The other man nodded sadly. "Yes, so please don't ask the missus about it. She still tears up whenever Miss Melissa is mentioned. I... need to go back on my rounds now." Sniffling, the guard walked away, leaving Danny to wonder just how much he'd cared about Miss Melissa. He was young enough, and his eyes had been suspiciously moist as he told the tale….
Dash interrupted the hero's musings. "So how do we get home from here, Fenton? I have no desire to remain in this time!"
"Once the ladies return, we must return to the cell. Every portal has an anchor, and I believe that if we return to Poindexter's mirror, we can use it to return to our own era. Alas, we would still be in the Ghost Zone, but even that is better than remaining here."
The jock began to pace.
When Yvonne finally returned with their classmates, Danny sent a silent message to Sam. The Goth girl, stunning in black velvet, nodded. "Madam Yvonne, is there any place in this city where we could retire for the night? None of us wish to impose on your hospitality any longer, especially after receiving these lovely dresses."
Yvonne's face fell. "You would never be a burden, dear cousin-to-be. However, since I was not expecting your visit and have had no time to prepare, I understand." She gave them directions to the nearest hotel.
Unfortunately, getting to the portal site required going through the prison proper. The men were even worse this time, actually reaching out to grope at the females until Danny, in an uncharacteristic fit of pique, broke one pervert's arm. His agonized shriek was very discouraging.
"All right," Danny muttered, grabbing Skulker's arm-cannon from where they had left it. "I shall attempt to reactivate the portal with this knave's weapons. Please close your eyes; I do not know how bright this will be and have no wish to see you blinded." He paused. "See you blinded. Ha."
Sam stepped on his foot. "Ow!"
"Now that we have heard my boyfriend's wise but badly worded advice, let us heed it." She shut her eyes. The others followed suit.
Ignoring Skulker's cannon, Danny aimed an ecto-blast at where the portal had been. It sparked to life immediately, and the six schoolmates resumed their long journey home.
Next update will be soon. Hopefully it will be paired with an update of Kith and Kin or Alphabet Soup. Yeah. Nothing else to say...- Corona
