DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DANNY PHANTOM
Heir to the Empire
HUMAN WORLD AMITY PARK
It started as a normal day. Danny woke up, and got ready to face the day's challenges. After breakfast he went to his computer to check his e-mail. Deleting all the junk and fan mail, Danny nearly fell over after reading a two letter message form Valerie Grey –I QUIT!-.
-A few days earlier-
A giant robot came rampaging down Main Street. "you cannot stop me ghost boy," yelled the robot, "I, Technus V2.4 has made my new body out of high tech equipment you humans left up there in orbit, along with other devices that I collected on the way".
Danny was getting tired of this and enlarged his self, "You know the giant robot thing is so cliché".
"Oh right, like the giant hero is such an original idea," Technus shot back.
Danny threw a punch at Technus, who activated his ghost shield, his fist when right through the shield and struck Technus's screen that projecting his face.
"Guess you didn't heard, all the anti-ghost equipment have been modified so they don't affect me anymore," boasted Danny.
"Well then I guess I'll just have to improvise," said Technus as he fired a series of cables at Danny.
"Tying me down who do you think I am Gulliver," Danny laugh.
"Those aren't ropes ghost boy, their power cables," explained Technus.
"Power cables," repeated Danny with a distraught expression on his face, "oh boy". Soon 10,000 volts began electrocuting him.
"Ever since humans discovered electricity we ghost stop enlarging ourselves," said Technus, "but enough history, now it is time for you to have a shocking defeat". As Technus started to increase the voltage, the Fenton RV came down the street and fired several shot at hitting him.
"You stop hurting my boyfriend!" yelled Sam as she and the rest of the group drove up. Yes, Sam still refuses to let Vale and Danny go off alone. After giving her O.K. Vale activated her suit and attacked.
"Well aren't you a familiar sight," said Technus as Vale came about, "seems that you've been enjoying my gift to you".
"I don't know what you're talking about ghost I've never seen you before," Vale retorted as she fired more shots.
"If this is your way of showing gratitude then I'll just take it back. Lucky I, Technus master of technology, installed a remote self-destruct unit in your suit," boasted Technus as fired a signal beam at Vale. The signal caused Vale's suit to reverted back into the pieces that Technus originally used to make it. As the suit vanished, Vale fell straight to the down.
Danny looked in horror as the sight of his good friend/rival hitting the ground. In a bust of anger he ignored the electric shock and broke free of the power lines. "I'm going to tear you apart!" screamed Danny as he charged at Technus. In a blind rage he tackled Technus down and began to rip the robot apart. Unfortunately Danny forgot about the weapons that Technus integrated into himself and was blasted back.
Technus repaired himself and walked towards Danny, who was still down from the blast. "I told you before boy that emotions are your weakness, now this time I won't make the mistake of a long winded speech and just finish you off quickly." He then revealed several weapons and pointed then at Danny, "good thing I stopped at that top secret weapon testing site".
"Yes, well you know you've shouldn't have done that," said Tucker who had just pulled up in his Mayoral limo.
"Oh really, and why is that?" asked Technus.
Tucker pulled a remote out of his pocket and said, "its' because all new top secret weapons come with a remote self-destruct function."
"This is a bad case of irony," said Technus as he remembered how he had just defeated Vale in the same manor. After his robotic body exploded Sam sucked him into a Fenton Thermos.
"Thanks for the save Tucker, how did you get the remote for Technus?" asked Sam while giving Tucker a friendly hug.
"Being the Mayor has its perks, the Feds came by earlier and told me how a robot fell from the sky and began integrating their weapons into it," Tuck answered. "How's Danny?"
Danny changed back into human form and rushed to Vale. "Are you alright?" asked Danny after he noticed some bad scrapes on her arm and legs.
"I'm fine," replied Vale as she just stared at the computer components that use to be her battle suit.
Not knowing what to say or do to help the situation Danny simply left it at that. "Can I take you home?" Danny asked after a few minutes. Vale nodded and without even saying goodbye to his other friends he went ghost and flew off with her. "Hey, where are they going?" asked Jazz. Sam didn't respond she only stare in the direction they flew.
-A few days later-
Vale got out of the shower, it seems like taking a long hot bath is the only thing that relaxes her anymore. As she entered her room she opened the secret door in her closet. In it was broken guns, damage equipment, and her old battle suit. For the past few days Vale had tried to get new gear, but nothing measured up. The equipment would either blow up in her face or be too weak to actually be of any use. Even the Fenton gear that Danny provided didn't meet expectations. This wasn't the first time Vale wished Vlad was still around. He may have been evil, but he did have quality equipment. It didn't help when she saw on the news that Vlad, who have been missing for a year, has been declared legally dead. Vale was a fighter, she doesn't give up because of one misfortune event, but even she had to admit it was over. Reluctantly she headed for her computer and typed the words she never thought she could say, -I QUIT!-. After the message was sent someone knocked on the door.
Danny could not believe Vale would just quit. He knew her well enough to know that the loss of her suit was just a minor setback for her. However, it did seem that fate was against her in getting replacement gear. Danny was still trying to figure out to help her when someone knocked on the door. The Fentons greeted their guest, and almost threw him out after they found out he was Vlad Masters lawyer. He didn't stay long only to inform them to be at his office for the reading of Vlad's last will and testament.
-At the Legal Office-
Danny didn't like this at all. Not only his family was here, but the Vale's as well. Danny could never shake the feeling that anything Vlad did it was always some kind of sinister plot. The reading of the will took a good 2 hours with the explaining legal rights and formalities that needed to be understood. The reading continued with list of charities and organizations Vlad sent donations to. Finally to the families, To the Fentons a tropical island next to the Bermuda Triangle, ghost research facility, and full scholarships for Danny and Jazz. For the Greys ownership of Vlad's security co., full scholarship for Vale, and his Villa in the Rockies. Danny choked at the last one. Vlad's Villa, the place Danielle was born also where he had enslaved all those ghost animals. 'There is no way that fruit loop did this out of the goodness of his ever vacant heart,' Danny thought determined to protect Vale no matter what.
-One Week Later-
Vale and her father decided to vacation at their new Villa. Danny had to beg not only to his own family, but to Damon and Sam as well to let him go along. Jack and Maddie were reluctant to let Danny stay with the Greys alone, but they were too excited to go to their island to argue for long. Jazz was staying behind going over the computer files they copied from Vlad's old home.
Sam wanted to chaperon but Danny asked her for a favor. "Please Sam I have a bad feeling about this, I need you and Jazz to go over Vlad's files and see if he has anything planned with this," begged Danny. Going through Vlad's files was definitely full time work; it was full of shady deals, evil experiments, and doctored photos of Maddie in swimsuits. "Oh yeah, Danny is going to pay for this when he gets back," promised Sam, "he will pay".
At the Villa Danny was losing it, he kept seeing Vlad around every corner. Vale and her father started to have second thoughts about bringing him along. Still they tried to make the best of it; walking in the woods, playing in the game room, and just relaxing in the big hot tub. Even Danny had to admit this was a great vacation spot. So far there hasn't been a single ghost incident, the reason they discovered was because of the wild blood blossoms growing in the woods around the Villa. The lab under the Villa got converted into home theater, since it already had several of screens installed. So far they haven't encountered anything that could be considered a trap.
Vale just got out of the hot tub, and headed for her room. It's been a couple of days since they came. At first it was annoying how Danny kept shooting at nothing, but now that he's mellowed out it is quite enjoyable. As she prepared to go to bed an unwelcome guest was waiting in her room, "Impossible, you're dead or are you a full ghost now?"
"So sorry, wrong on all accounts I'm afraid. I am an A.I. holographic interface. I came online after Vlad Masters was declared dead," said Holo-Vlad.
"Why are you here?" asked Vale. She was starting to suspect that Danny might be right. "Wait, you're the one that kept spooking Danny".
"Well yes, and my programming is simply to aid you, Vlad's most trusted Huntress, on your missions," claimed Holo-Vlad.
"Liar I know He's been manipulating me and that he is really Vlad Plasmius! So what is he really after?" demanded Vale.
"System reboot, updating files…, well since you know everything allow me to explain. This facility is designed for the capture and study of one Danny Phantom. I have been program to assist you in this task. Since you had a vendetta against him you were the perfect choice to take over this project," said Holo-Vlad.
Vale was suspicious, how far can she trust this computer, what if Vlad did have a scheme with all this. Against her better judgment she decided to see what is going on here exactly. "You said you're program to help me, how?"
"Follow me," Holo-Vlad said. He led her to the lab and opened a hidden staircase. In the lower levels had weapons, suits, and what looked like automatic factory. The monitor screens came on and started to show recordings of Vale's many battles. "As you can see the ghost hunting equipment that Masters provided you not only hunts ghost, but also scans and records your prey. It also monitors you as well. Using this data we've been building this," Holo-Vlad pointed to the Fenton Battle Suit mk. II.
"This looks like the Fenton Battle Suit only smaller," said Vale.
"Yes, Masters streamline the system making it half the size but twice the power. All that is needed is some final calibrations that require your assistance with, after that this suit and all these weapons are yours."
Vale looked at the battle suit in front of her. She remembered hearing how Danny nearly died using the original against the Ghost King. Still Vlad is far more reliable than the Fentons. If he worked out all the bugs then this could be the greatest suit out there. Vale wanted the suit, but she didn't want to be used again. Weighing her options she looked at Holo-Vlad and gave her answer.
Danny was watching the stars from the rooftop. "I guess even if that fruit loop had some kind of fiendish plot, it doesn't matter if he's really gone," he said to himself. After a week of scouting the Villa Danny was convinced that the place was safe, now he's just enjoying the peace and quiet. Just as soon as he started to relax, a sudden chill came up his spine and he saw his breath. Danny sprang into action but no ghost appeared, instead it started snowing. Danny breathe a sigh of relief, truthfully he didn't want any incidents on this vacation.
"Are you still chasing ghosts Fenton," Vale's voice came from behind him.
"Wow, you haven't called me 'Fenton' in a long time I must really be screwing up," Danny said, "but I'm pleased to say that I no longer think that Vlad was up to anything".
Vale twitched nervously, "about that Danny, you see…What the." Vale never completed her sentence when the ghost alarms when off.
They soon left the roof and met with Damon in the security office. "What's going on?" asked Danny and Vale at the same time.
"There is a lot of ghost animals headed here," replied Damon as he watched the monitors, "why are they attacking now?"
"It's not possible they can't come here because of the blood blossoms!" answered Danny.
"Blood Blossoms, you mean like flowers?"
"Yeah, ghost can't go anywhere near them."
"Flowers, like the part of the plant that usually wilts in the cold."
"Oh boy, Going Ghost," cried Danny as he transformed, "Mr. Grey activate the Ghost security measures and Vale call Jazz and let her know what's going on." As Danny flew off Vale and her dad did as they were instructed, or tried to. Vale didn't realize that the Villa had no phones and Damon found out the auto defenses are targeting Danny as well. "Forgive me Danny," Damon whispered. Damon didn't like to throw Danny to wolves, but he had his daughter to think about. Vale was racing from room to room searching for a phone. Unsuccessful Vale looked out the window and saw Danny getting pummeled, not only by the ghost but by the Villa guns as well. Fearing the worst she sped down to the lower level.
"Hello Ms. Grey, I am happy to report that I have just completed the task you requested, expect delivery in two to four business days," greeted Holo-Vlad.
"That's great now prep the Battle Suit mk. II, I'm taking it out!" said Vale.
"The Battle Suit is not ready yet, it still requires final calibration and testing also the weapons have not been installed."
"No time, we're being attacked!"
"Do not blame me if the suit drains you life force away," Holo-Vlad said as he activated the suit.
As Vale prepared to back-up Danny, the suit's ghost radar showed multiple ghost readings inside the Villa. 'What is going on here,' wondered Vale as she went to investigate what the radar detected. What she found was horror beyond description. Several animal ghosts in cages, all of them were hooked up to an ecto-converter to power the Villa. Vale started to feel sick, not only because of the conditions of these ghosts are in, but she recognized the ones she captured and turned over to Vlad. Vale couldn't stand it and hit the release button. As the cages opened several of the weaker ghost made a run for it, but the remaining ghost were getting ready to pounce her. "You guys want some revenge huh, I'll admit that I'm partly to blame for all this," Vale said as the animals jumped her. Using the Battle Suit she knocked half of them back with one blow, "But I'm not going to make this easy for you!" Vale yelled as the ghosts charged again.
Danny had his hands full with the ghost coming from the forest and guns shooting from the Villa. "Come on Danny you can hold out, Vale is counting on you," Danny said to himself, "and Jazz and Sam are on their way. I just wish these guns would stop shooting me". Just then the guns stopped. "It's never a good thing when my wishes come," said Danny as he tried to keep the ghosts from entering the Villa, the guns may have been targeting him but they also kept the other ghosts out. Danny had no choice but to use his ghostly wail. After his screams pushed the ghosts back he collapse and nearly reverted to human form. His victory was short live however as the ghost charged again. Danny got ready for the second wave when energy beams rained down from the sky. "Sam, Jazz you got Vale's message!" Danny said excitedly as the Specter Speeder landed.
"No, actually we came here because we did find a sinister plot in the files," said Sam.
"We would have found out sooner except his files were organized in alphabetical order," added Jazz. Danny had a confused expression on his face. "The 'Valerie Grey' schemes file was in the 'V' section so it took us a while," Jazz explained, "you think we would've checked the 'V' section first".
"Tell me details later. I'll hold them off you get Vale and her father out of here!" Danny said as he resumed his attack. Jazz and Sam headed for the Villa and met up with Damon, who ran out after seeing the Specter Speeder land. They were about to look for Vale when the Villa exploded.
After Vale released the ghost the Villa lost power, as the lights and Holo-Vlad flickered off the ghost attacked. With the Battle Suit mk. II Vale easily took down most of the ghosts. As the smack down continued, Vale stared to feel the strain of the neural feedback from the suit. "Come on Vale Danny used an inferior model against the most powerful ghost," Vale said to herself. Thinking about her best friend and rival gave her new strength. Vale had to admit it that Danny is the center of her life. Maybe not romantically but he inspires her to get better not only as a hunter but as a person as well. Vale looked at her target, the central ecto-converter unit. Standing in her way a wolf ghost with long nails that for whatever reason didn't attack her the whole time. "The head lion waits for the pack to weaken the prey before he goes for the kill huh?" Vale said as she walked over to the wolf. After catching her breath Vale ran towards her target. The wolf stood still as Vale charged right passed it and destroyed the ecto-converter resulting in a huge explosion.
No one could believe it as they stared at the remains of the Villa. Danny wanted to look for Vale but stopped as he saw several ghost animals leaving the Villa. "What is going on here?" Danny asked. The attacking ghost quickly aided the ghost leaving the Villa and disappeared into the woods.
"This Villa uses ghosts hook up to an ecto-converter for power and weapon testing," Jazz explained, "Vlad was going to fake his death and give Vale the weapons he developed here, but seems he cancelled those plans after he became mayor though".
"Then this attack was a rescue mission, wait what about Vale?" Danny asked as he looked in the direction of the Villa.
"She's fine Danny," answered Sam, "Looks like Wulf just carried her out. Guess she save ghost prisoners." Wulf carried Vale his paws and gently handed her to Damon saying "friend" before he also disappeared.
As everyone climbed aboard the Specter Speeder the computers in the Villa came on and Holo-Vlad reappeared. "Auxiliary power online… well, that could have gone better. The animals escaped the Villa destroyed, but my mission a success. I am sure the master will be pleased," Holo-Vlad said as he watched the recording of Danny's and Vale's battle. Just then Wulf appeared and smashed the mainframe, as Holo-Vlad went offline only two words were on the screen.
–File sent-
-A Few Days Later-
Vale was enjoying a long hot shower. She may have lost the Villa, but truthfully she had no interest in it. The only reason she went was to find more ghost hunting equipment. Vale regretted losing the Fenton Battle Suit mk. II but she did get away with a lovely consolation prize. Before attack she demanded that the spare suits and weapons be mailed to her home address. 'It'll feel good to wear red again,' thought Vale as she put away her new equipment. Vale was tired after cleaning up so she headed to her room, she was so tired that she failed to notice that she just phased through the door. As she slept, a ring appeared at her waist split and traveled outwards. Vale was now in a light grayish huntress suit and her hair grayish/blue.
Just outside her apartment four figures watched with anticipation.
"Another page of the prophecy fulfilled. We are closer to our goal."
"It is too soon, our enemies can't learn what has transpired yet."
"Yes, secrecy is her best protection."
The four figures raised their hands and started to glow. Two rings appeared next to Vale then came together turning her human again. When the two rings met they turned into mystic markings before reentering her body.
"Her power is sealed now, to be revealed at a time of our choosing."
"Do we leave her with the boy?"
"Yes, he will protect her. He will keep her safe."
"You better hope so for nothing must happen to the mother of our future king."
The four figures disappeared into the night.
Next Time…The Greatest Hunt
Someone has put a bounty on Dani Phantom. Now Danny has to search the entire world to find her before some hunter does.