Hello people of earth...and others... I'm back. I'm sorry it's been so long...crazy freaking life is my only excuse...

I had this ready for a week, my beta reader gave me back the chapter the same night I sent it to her, so right now I'd love to throw out a huge thanks to Dragonian Master. You are amazing! This story would fall apart without ya!

I'd also like to thank all who reviewed/followed/favorited. You guys awesome, and I'll do my best from now on to update faster, but things are getting so hectic...Though I do have an idea for the next chapter, and usually that makes me update faster.

And last issues trivia question was...

What is Valerie's favorite fruit?

The answer was, Kumquat!

The winners are...

Reid Phantom

Dragonian Master

starhedgehog1117

jeanette9a

PixieDemon1029

ShyKylee

PhantomPhan09

dannysamphan

XphiaDP

xMidnightHunter1553x

Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to all got it right! Good luck next time to those who didn't!

By the way, I don't know if I said this before, but this story is in a universe without Phantom Planet.

Without further a due, the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: I, Pheek, will not/will never (*sad*face*) own Danny Phantom.

Sucked In

Chapter 4: Level 1 Part 2

Danny's POV

Just like the walks through the Fields of Pain, on the walk to the Mountain of Dragons those damn A-listers wouldn't leave me alone. It was driving me crazy! We were fighting for our lives and they want to get to know me! What the heck is wrong with them!

Sam obviously noticed my displeasure and threw me a knowing look. I returned it with a deep scowl, but grateful eyes. I sighed, keeping my eyes forward and just nodding at the random crap the populars were spitting out.

Right in the middle of one Paulina's rants about nail polish or something (I'm not really completely sure what she was talking about...she kept going on tangents) a large roar filled the airways and I actually let out a sigh of relief. I don't think I'd ever been happier to get into danger.

The large purple, which now that I think about it, looks insanely like Aragon, flew down right in front of us. "Puny adventures!" he boomed, "How DARE you enter my territory! Do you not know that you are to stay away from the stronghold unless I call upon you!?"

I flew up to his eye-level, wanting to get over this over with as soon as possible. "Yeah, yeah, we're well aware of it." I added a yawn for good measure.

His anger grew, and he spat at me, "How dare you disgrace me, D-!"

"WE get it!" I yelled back, flying around has he swatted at me, "The mighty Dragon of Doom!"

He stopped in his tracks. "That is not my name! It is Darrel! My name is Darrel. I need a publicist. And your blood will serve as the ink I use to write the letter!" He let out a mighty roar and was flung into the ground, just feet away from my peers, all but Sam, Tucker, and Valerie looking at me wide-eyed.

"What?" They looked away and then back at the Dragon currently running toward them. "Don't just stand there, let's fight."

"Did you really have to piss him off?" Valerie yelled at me.

"Hey, what can I say?" I joked, "I have that effect on people...and apparently large flying reptiles."

I charged forward, throwing Ecto-blasts at him. He was stunned by the attack and dropped back. While I attacked from the air, my teammates fought with the laser guns on the ground. We just about had him, his large form was wavering when they came in: it had to be more than a hundred Dragons—Darrel's minions. They were all armed with what appeared to be level ten lasers.

I dropped to the ground by my group. "I don't remember this part of the game..." Tucker murmured.

"Ditto..." I added.

I stared at them all. We didn't stand a chance. How could this have happened? This was supposed to be the easiest level for heaven's sake!

We were under fire in a matter of seconds: by both the dragon and his minions. "We don't stand a chance!" Valerie yelled as I threw a last pitch effort shield around us. It served its purpose, but I had to keep most of my attention on it. Both hands up, I held it the best I could.

"Phantom! What do we do?!" Star screeched dramatically.

I strained to speak, and my voice came out scratchy and forced, "I don't know! I didn't even know this was possible!"

"But-!"

"Star!" Sam interrupted, "Leave him alone, he needs to concentrate." I could tell that Star had a twisted expression on her face.

"Does anybody have any idea what we could do?" Tucker asked.

"Well, getting to a better place to think this through would be better! A battle scene where we could be blasted to death is never a good place to make major decisions!" Valerie put in.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Sam argued.

Valerie was about to reply, but I cut in, an idea forming in my head, "Valerie, didn't you say that there are tunnels under the ground?"

"Yeah, but how does that...no...No! Phantom you got to be kidding me!" Just then, the shield flickered and a single shot flew through and almost scorched us.

"I don't really think we have a choice!" I grunted. Sam and Tucker seem to have gotten the gist of what I was saying to Valerie, but the others had no clue.

"Phantom, it's too risky! What if-" Valerie began.

"He's just going to faze us down there," the A-listers eyes widened at the revelation of what we were talking about, "quick and simple," Sam assured.

"But-"

"Valerie! We have no other choice!" I yelled in agitation. I was going to drop the shield soon. It was getting to be too much. They were firing from all side constantly and Darrel was breathing fire at us from above. There were guards on the other side pounding on the walls, and having to concentrate on this conversation wasn't helping any.

Valerie was obviously stunned by my sudden out-burst—everybody but my best friends wore the same expressions. "Now, grab hands and somebody grab me, and we'll all phase through the ground." They all obliged without question, though I could tell by look on Valerie's face, that she wasn't very happy about it.

Of course, Paulina made sure to push herself right up against me, but at least she was listening. Once I made sure that everyone connected hands, I simultaneously put the shield down and turned us intangible, quickly falling through the ground.

We were in the tunnel in no time, and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next. It consisted of the showers for the underground fort...and it wasn't empty. I don't think I'll be able to sleep for weeks.

I'm pretty sure everybody screamed, and I quickly pulled us into another room, a closet like space. "Well that was..." Valerie strayed off.

"Disturbing?" Tucker put in.

"Terrifying?" I suggested.

"Says the guy who fights ghosts," Tucker put in, rubbing his eyes as if it would get rid of the image.

"Exactly," I answered.

"I'd of been fine if the old guy didn't bend over," Sam uttered. Everybody shuddered. Based on A-lister's faces, they were all about to barf.

We were all quiet for about a minute, trying to forget what we just saw. I think I'm finally beginning to realize why my parents didn't let me see that R rated movie...

I shook it off, we had to start moving. Disturbed or not, we needed to make plans. They knew we were here, and sooner or later, they were going to check the closet. I slowly got up; trying not to think about everything I just got exposed to. I'd take getting in a ghost fight over that any day of the week.

I floated over to the door, and easily locked it. I then welded the edges with an ecto-blast, while everybody else began sitting up and trying to think up a plan. When finished, I spun around asking, "Any ideas?" I slumped to the ground, earning me an odd look from Valerie for my such "human" behavior.

Valerie's facial expression quickly changed for surprise to anger in a matter of seconds. "I don't know Phantom!" Valerie yelled, "You're the one who got us into the mess. You get us out!"

"ME?" I inquired angrily, "How is this possibly my fault!?"

"You just had to provoke the dragon! Couldn't just fight it, no, you had to do the flashy thing and 'impress' everybody with your fancy banter. Well guess what? This isn't a game, Phantom!"

"Actually it is," Paulina murmured.

"Oh, shut up, Little-Miss-Perfect!" Valerie yelled subconsciously, "You think life is so great don't ya, Phantom! Well guess what, there is a thing called responsibility and consequence—two things I'm betting you don't see much of in your 'fun filled' afterlife! Life isn't fun and games! Sooner or later your immature little brain is going to have to come to terms with that!"

"How can you possibly blame me for everything that just happened!" I yelled, and felt the extra green ectoplasm rush to my eyes, "And how dare you think I don't know about responsibility and consequence! I had to give up a lot more than anyone to protect this town, and you'll never know the kind of pain filled shit I've gone through!"

"Oh yeah?" Valerie provoked. We were now standing face-to-face, both in angered poses. This was very uncharacteristic of me, but in these past few days I had my patience used up on not snapping at the populars.

"Yeah!" I yelled. We held each other's stares. "Well how 'bout you! All you ever do is try to get rid of me, when in fact, I'm not the real problem! You never give anybody a chance, and, never frickn' listen to anything you don't want to hear! You—"

"How dare you say that!" Valerie yelled back, "You're just some heartless ghost! You don't care about anyone! All you is show off to everybody! It's all just a show to you! Nothing more! You don't know what sacrifice is." Venom filled her already icy voice as she spoke, "I bet one day you turn on everybody you supposedly love."

I saw my friends exchange bulging glances out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't really care; my attention was on Valerie. I took a couple deep breaths, but the anger stayed. "How dare you say that!" I felt my voice rise above a normal volume and everybody's, even Valerie's expressions switched to surprise. "Everything I do is to protect the things that I love! You know nothing about the nightmares I've had to go through to just be here now!" I felt my anger grow just a little more, to the point where it topped off. "Don't you ever say that I will ever turn against a friend! You understand!?"

Her smug expression returned, "Looks like I hit a nerve. I guess even the great 'Danny Phantom' isn't as shallow as I thought. What's the story, ghost boy? What are you hiding!? Mind telling us what it is you are getting so worked up about? Never seen you this pissed, but I guess all ghost are the same, huh? All just as heartless as the next."

Feeling the extra ecto-energy rushing to my eyes, I knew was going to yell. It was going to be bad. She wasn't going to get away with this, not this time. "I-!"

I was cut short by Sam and Tucker pulling me to the ground, yelling, "Cut it out!" Though my initial instinct told me to fight back, but my common sense kicked in, and I flopped to the ground, Sam and Tucker still holding my flexed arms. I looked over at Valerie, with my normal green eyes, now filled with regret for what my anger made me say, and saw that Star and Kwan had pulled her to the ground. Valerie still had that disgusted look in her eye, though now directed at me and not at the creepy old guy who bent over.

I exhaled, instantly losing my anger. Instead, regret took its place, and I looked solemnly at the ground. Feeling ashamed that I let my anger get out of control, I spoke in my normal demeanor, though only in a whisper, "I'm sorry Valerie." I looked down at the floor to avoid the look of the A-listers.

She still gave me an angered look, but the disgust was gone. "Yeah," she stated without emotion.

Though I regretted all that I said, Valerie's voice still rang in my head,"You're just some heartless ghost." I scrunched my body up on the ground, knees to chest, and wrapped my arms around them, my stomach doing flips. My common sense told me not to listen to the comment, but didn't my actions just prove that? I closed my eyes and put my head in between the nook my legs and chest made, much like a child.

I let my anger get the best of me. I guess I was more stressed out than usual...though normally I don't get sucked into a video game and have to deal with life as Phantom around people who I'm more comfortable as Fenton with. In my head, I repeated the same vow I made to my parents, friends, and overweight teacher in that other reality. I wasn't going to let that happen again. He isn't here. He doesn't exist. So then why does he still scare me so much?

"Well, we do need a plan," Tucker spoke, pulling me out of my thoughts and I think everyone's eyes on me as I looked up at him. I mouthed him a 'thank you', which he accepted with a nod.

Sam and Tucker fell to the spots against me, much to Paulina's dismay. As annoying as it was, it was nice to know that at least one person wasn't ever going to be dissuaded from liking me. The rest staggered around the room, Valerie making sure to get as far away from as possible. I made no objection.

"To start, we can scratch the deal we made with that lady, there is no way in hell we're going to kill that dragon," Tucker mused.

"Well, um, couldn't we like use a cheating thingy?" Star suggested.

"Cheat code?" Tucker clarified.

"Yeah, that's how Mikey got me through to level ten," Dash added. All the populars nodded along with them.

"Hate to break it to ya, but you need a keyboard to that," Sam deadpanned. Star gave Sam a venomous glare, which Sam willingly returned.

"Hey! Hey!" Tucker shouted, "No more fighting! If we're going to do this, we need to stop arguing!"

"Now," Tucker began, "They might be on to something Sam. Remember how when, Da-Phantom got into Doomed and was able to find the door to level zero? A cheat code might work like that."

"You went into Doomed?" Kwan nodded. I nodded, but concentrated on examining the floor. I didn't feel like elaborating.

"Why?" Star asked eagerly. Didn't they see that I didn't want to be bothered?

"That doesn't matter," Sam answered, "Now if this cheat code thing really does work, where do you think it'll be?"

"It's probably somewhere nobody's ever been before..." Tucker mused.

It was quiet for a few seconds before Valerie perked up slightly and whispered something that only I heard due to my super hearing. "The Dragon's lair." Of course she repeated it louder, and everybody seemed to nod.

"I've heard of a code that if you somehow get to the lair, there's this rock formation that looks like a nose but is also a back door to level two. Worth a shot?" Valerie questioned. Everyone was nodding, and she locked eyes with me, but though they seemed angry on the top, I could tell that underneath that curiosity was trying to come through. I quickly looked away to examine the floor again, her angry words running circles in my head again.

"That might just work..." Tucker trailed off, "But where do we get back there?"

The room grew quiet once more, and I had a, for lack of a better word, 'brain-blast'. "Maybe the tunnels lead back there."

"Okay, but unless you can make us all invisible to get back there, we need a way to blend in," Tucker said.

"We could steal a few uniforms from the locker room," Sam added.

"Let's get two people to go; one will be Phantom, because he can turn you invisible. Any takers?" All of the A-listers raised their hands eagerly, but instead of 'picking' one of them, he spoke, "Sam, will you do it?"

She nodded. She gave me a small smile, knowing that I was still musing over what Valerie had said. I got up into the air and floated over to her, and then putting my arms around her pelvis, I flew us intangibly and invisibly out of the room. We searched for the rooms in silence until we finally found it; it was empty.

"Are you going to be okay?" she whispered to me, going through the lockers I opened with intangibility.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied quietly, looking down at the ground. I bet one day you turn on everybody you supposedly 'love'. Repeated over and over again in my head.

"Don't dwell on what she said, Danny, it's just Valerie, she doesn't know anything." I still looked at the ground. Just some heartless ghost. Sam put a warm hand on my icy shoulder, "Look at me." I connected my acid green eyes to her amethyst ones. "He's not here. He'll never be here. And right now there are people that need you. I need you." Her cheeks turned a brilliant shade of red and rushed out, "And so does Tucker, those jocks and cheerleaders, and, believe it or not, even Valerie. We need you to get out of your thoughts and join us in the present. Please."

I nodded and gave a small smile, "Thanks, Sam." Once we got enough uniforms, I flew us back to the room. I was still a little put down, but I felt a bit more confident.

Valerie's POV

I looked over at the A-listers who were chatting quietly. I heard the light fear edged onto their voices, but I could tell by the few words I made out that they were talking about the 'Great Danny Phantom'. Didn't they just see that he almost attacked me?! Were they really that stupid? True, they all used to be my 'friends', and Star was still probably my best friend but I don't think I'll ever be able to stand her or her 'friends'' obsessions with that ghost boy.

Phantom. Just the thought of him and his stupid little smirk left a bad taste in my mouth. Before today, I don't think I've ever seen him that mad. Whenever he fought ghosts, his expressions were always light as if he did it every day and was just trying to have fun with it, but anger? No. Never. The only time I'd seen anything similar was when I had to help him get his cousin back.

I knew I was on to something. Someone close to him must have died or got injured when he died and that's why he's so protective: it's his obsession. I bit my lip. Though that was a pretty good theory based on what I had just witnessed, I wasn't so sure of it. He actually displayed remorse after getting mad at me. Why? Why didn't he just hurt me, any other ghost that had their obsession threatened would have killed said threatened on the spot and been happy about it. But with him, it was like I was looking at a normal teenager who had been abused or something and was reliving the memories by my words.

I sat down. He was different from other ghosts, that much was apparent. His tries at emotions were fairly real looking, unlike other ghosts. I scrunched up my nose. I was going to get to the bottom of this.

"Valerie?" someone behind me questioned. Turning around, I saw that it was Tucker, "Can I talk to you for a second?" I got up and walked over to him. Great, he's going to give me some lecture on how I should give Phantom a chance or something. Just like everyone else, he was Phantom's eluded by his act. I expected more from him.

After getting some distance from the populars, I interrupted him before he had the chance to speak, " Tucker, if you're going to give me some speech on how Phantom's not evil, than save it for someone who'll listen."

We held each other's gazes. Man, he was acting like my dad. "No, Valerie, I wasn't. I wanted to ask you to lay off that subject around him. We need his head in the game if we're going to get through this, but he if starts...dwelling on the stuff your stirring around, we'll never get out of here," he spoke carefully.

"So I am on to something," I mused with a rebellious tone.

"Please, Valerie, just drop it," he urged.

"No, I don't think I will. And what do you know?" I questioned, turning the conversation around. He looked down at the ground in response. "That's what I thought. I'm going to figure this out, and I couldn't care less if you, Phantom, or anyone else gives a damn." With that, I walked back to the place I was sitting; just in time to hear Paulina cheer:

"Phantom—and the weird Goth loser—are back!" I rolled my eyes, and walked over to them. Without conversing with them, I grabbed a uniform and walked back to my seat.

Danny's POV

All of the A-listers hit me with a wave of questions that I didn't want to answer. Instead I just dictated, "Get your uniforms on, I want to get out of this level as soon as possible."

They were taken aback by my gruffness but complied. Tucker shot me a worried look, but I shot him down with a wave of my hand. I had to stay in the game, literally. Dwelling on memories I couldn't change wasn't going to help anything.

Once we all had the uniforms on over our character's bodies, we headed out of the closet. Getting into two by two formation, myself and Sam in the front with Tucker and Valerie (whose stares I could feel penetrating the back of my skull) behind us, then Paulina and Star, and finally Kwan and Dash. We did our best to navigate the tunnels but we just kept getting lost. "This is hopeless!" Valerie exclaimed in an annoyed whisper, "We need a better plan."

I probed my mind for an answer to the question but nothing came up. We needed to get information, and I doubted anyone would give it to us willingly or that there'd be a map on the wall like at a mall or museum. Just then, a single guard walked down the hallway toward us. "State your business," he commanded.

"I think I have an idea," I mused to the group.

"State your business," he repeated.

It was a long shot being the world we were in, but it was worth a try. I walked up to the man and he put a hand on his laser gun. With a deep breath, fazed into his body. I heard the gasps of everyone but Sam and Tucker. Looks like Valerie didn't even see that one coming.

It took me a second to gain control, but once I did I looked at the group through the guard's eyes. Being that I practiced this trick I'd gotten good at using their voice and eyes. Slipping into the person's thoughts was something I could do, but didn't like doing. It was a private area that I couldn't ever bring myself to do. But this time, I had no choice.

Getting my barrens from the guy, I spoke, this time in my own voice, letting my eyes shine through, "This way." They—meaning everyone but Tucker, Sam, and a confused Valerie—followed me cautiously, not completely curtain it was me.

"What did he do?" Star asked.

"He overshadowed him," Valerie answered flatly.

"What?" Paulina questioned, confusion lined her voice.

"Overshadowed, or took over his body," Sam explained in an annoyed tone.

"I didn't know he could do that..." I heard Valerie murmur under her breath.

Though still pissed off slightly, this lightened my mood. "Guess you didn't know as much about me as you thought," I smirked slightly, the hard frown softening, though only slightly. I could practically feel her scrunched up face glaring knives at me.

Using the mind and cover of the guard I was able to get us to the dragon's lair without difficulty. Obviously the game wasn't programmed to have defenders down here. Once there, I used his knowledge to get to the cheat.

As soon as I could see it, I glanced around to find a place to ditch the body. Locating a broom closet, I ditched the body while wondering why a dragon would need a broom closet. Then again, he was a dragon named Darrel...

After shutting the door, I turned back to see the A-lister looking at me as if I'd just killed him. "What?"

"Did you..." Kwan stuttered.

"Is he...um..." Star trailed off.

"You know...like..." Paulina murmured.

"Dead?" Dash finished.

I actually laughed slightly and then answered, "No, he'll just be passed out for a while." Heartless ghost...I shook the thought away, but my smile fell.

They all let out a visible sigh relief. "Even if he was, he's just a video game character, he's not really alive," Tucker included nonchalantly. They nodded but looked skeptic. It was funny how just yesterday they've snapped/beat him up for contradicting what they'd say. But I guess that's what a stressful situation does to you.

We walked up to the cheat, which looked like a, just as Valerie described, a giant nose. "That was way too easy," I mused.

"That's what you think," a voice rang behind us.

I just had to say it, didn't I...? I thought with annoyance.

We all turned in unison, just like teens would in one of those cheesy kid sitcoms. To our surprise, it was the old woman who had made us the deal in the beginning. How the heck did she get back here? Then again this was a video game...stupid plot holes...

"You again?" Sam questioned.

The woman had a darker look this time; her eyes looked like something that'd belong on a reptile. "Oh shit," I whispered.

"Yes, me! The 'old hag'!" she spat, "You didn't honestly believe that I would let you get away without killing my brother did you?! I was supposed to have that crown, not him! And how dare you defy the great Nukpana's wish to have him slain!" she screeched and we all watched in horrified amazement as she turned into a dragon, much like Dora or Aragon minus the necklace.

My eyes widened as I looked up at her massive figure. "To the nose!" I yelled. There's one thing I'd never thought I'd say. She shot blazing fire after us, but I was quick enough to get a shield put up around us. As I held it, the group stopped. "Keep going! Get to the cheat! I'll hold her off." The A-listers quickly ran under where the nostrils would be and were sucked up into them (if we weren't in danger, I'd of probably busted a gut laughing at the sight), leaving Valerie, Sam, Tucker, and myself.

"Go!" I yelled.

"Not without you!" Sam yelled and Tucker added by shooting at the dragon. Valerie shot at the dragon, but avoided the strained conversation, obviously only interested in getting Sam and Tucker to safety.

Seeing that they weren't going to go on no matter what I pleaded, I slowly backed us up to the nose. When we were all but feet from the nose, I yelled, "Now go! I'll be right behind you!"

Skepticism was obvious in their looks and disagreements, but Valerie, being Valerie, came up behind the unsuspecting Tucker and him under the nose where he was sucked up. She continued to grab Sam and a 'cat fight' broke out. In the end, Valerie was able to throw Sam in. Just as Valerie was about to go through, the shield broke and I received a blow to the front. I fell back to the ground. Pain ripped through my body, and my chest began oozing a green substance, and when I tried to put the shield back up, I failed.

I glanced up at Valerie, who had taken cover behind a few large rocks. I motioned her to go through the cheat, but she didn't listen.

Laboriously, I summoned the strength to turn myself intangible and heave myself through the rocks, landing in a slump next to Valerie.

She had a scared but determined face. The dragon, obviously stupider in this form, just kept sending flames at the rock instead of moving a getting a better angle.

Valerie's POV

Why hadn't I just dived into that stupid nose when I had the chance? The losers were safe so what compelled me to stay for Phantom? It was too late for that now though. Now I had an injured ghost to deal with.

I stared at him and his heavily breathing figure. Wait. Breathing? I shook it off. He was around humans so much, he probably just learned to mimic it. I rolled my eyes, he could act so human, but I was the only person who seemed like they knew he wasn't. Even those two losers were under the impression that he was 'good'. The way he almost lashed out at me, it was pretty obvious that it was all an act.

Concentrate Valerie. I could dwell on all that later when I was out of this dumb game. I stared at him. He was a menace. If I was going to get out of here, I needed to get rid of him.

I would have no remorse for what I was about to do. I put my hand on my holster. He wouldn't know it was even happening until I was done. Just as I was putting my hand on my gun, a bright light in the form of two rings began to wash over Phantom. I was never going to look at him the same way again.

Good? Bad? Ugly? I won't know unless you review.

This weeks trivia question is...What is the name that Jazz calls the Box Ghost in Secret Weapons?

If the spelling is off, that's okay, so long as I can understand what you mean.

I'll do my best to update soon, but life has been so crazy lately...

~Pheek out

Please review.