Chapter 6 yeeess!
This chapter is a trick to write, as I need to watch both Control Freaks and Reality Trip (I happened to watch Phantom Planet too even if it has no connection to this chapter at all) and that took me almost two hours. Plus researching character info at the wiki and even reading the episode transcripts just to make this as close as possible.
The hardest part here is that this AU has contradicting ideas to what happened in the cartoon. In Control Freaks, the trio has been at detention at school, while it can't happen here because aside from the setting being at summer vacation, Phantom is a full ghost rather than a halfa. Besides that, since the Fentons are separated, it's kinda hard thinking of what should be the alternative here. Reality Trip is much harder to write, seeing that Phantom has no secret to show about being a halfa, and still the Fenton family. However, I intend to write Reality Trip later since Maddie won't probably appear at this rate and I want her to have more exposure.
Also, in my opinion, I think Reality Trip is a much more intense episode that Phantom Planet itself. It has presented more thrilling effects than the last episode, and Freakshow's kinda… scary to be honest. He's human yet he did a lot of awful things, besides, his Joker-like appearance is creeping me out, seriously.
Well, read and review please! Thanks.
A Grasp at a Distant Memory
Chapter 6: The Ringmaster of Circus Gothica
"Are you telling me these ghosts seem to have been… hypnotized? By a human perhaps?" Jack took a sip on his coffee, and noted what Phantom was saying about the whole commotion. Sitting on a chair at the basement, he found himself writing Phantom's statement.
"It seems so early to be concluding, Mr. Fenton, but they had all their eyes... Red. And most of those ghosts don't even have red eyes. And in both Ghost Zone and human world, changing the color of your eyes either mean you're overshadowed, or you're being controlled against your will. Any of the two screams trouble."
"I don't know what to think, kid. I don't see a clear motive in doing this, especially the fact that humans fear ghosts a lot. Hypnotizing them, and a human at that part, just seems so unbelievable."
"That's why I need your help to find them, Mr. Fenton. If they are overshadowed, or controlled, then I'm pretty sure they'll cause havoc soon."
"And I wouldn't allow that." Jack took some of his invented weapons. "It will be weird that I'm teaming up with ghosts, but I did say you and your father are exceptions."
Phantom smiled at him.
®® - Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman - ®®
Sam was fast asleep, dreaming about something black and gothic, until a shaft of light hits her face as her mom opened her bedroom curtains.
"Good morning, sunshine! And how do we greet the brand new day?" Sam's mom, Pamela cheerfully greeted her only daughter.
"With a smile on your face and an attitude of gratitude!" her dad, Jeremy, supplied continuation to her mom's antics, optimistically trying to persuade his daughter to have a brighter outlook in life.
Sam groaned from her beauty sleep, awakened by the rays of light and her parents chattering. She wraps her pillow on her head, and groaned some more.
"I'm a creature of the night doomed to a family of morning people."
"Sam sweetie, I thought maybe we'd try to mix it up a little with wardrobe today", Pamela showed her a pink sun dress with yellow floral print, enough to make Sam cringe.
"Nothing says 'Hey world, look at me!' like floral prints", Jeremy cheered.
"Okay, but I need to add just one little personal touch." Sam said with a smug look, as she grabbed a can of black spray paint and drenched the dress black. The floral print dress looked like a funeral dress by now, as she cut the skirt part much shorter, Pamela screeching in disgust.
"Come on, let's go get breakfast."
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP-
At the breakfast table, the Manson family is watching the woman on TV.
"Up next, is your teenage daughter moody, surly, is her outlook on life blacker than her eyeliner?" Sam glances at her parents, Jeremy and Pamela glaring at her.
"Take an active interest in your child", the woman continued. "Know who her friends are. Learn to recognize a bad influence when it walks in your door."
In a weird show of coincidence, Tucker comes in through the door with a bunch of CDs.
"Hey Sam, I got that Morbid Anti-social Youth CD you wanted."
Sam's parents glared at Tucker.
"What? Have you heard "My Parents Reek"? That cut rocks!" the adults proceeded to glare more.
The TV then showed a red spiral, just after that, a pale, really pale bald man appeared in the display, with his eerie smile.
"I am Freakshow, ringmaster of the Circus Gothica…"
Then there was a skeleton, juggling skulls with ease.
"where your nightmares come alive. Circus Gothica…" Freakshow showed up once again, followed by a gloomy-looking clown with sharp teeth, laughing dementedly while still frowning.
"where the clowns never smile." Then there was a man with heavy piercings, wearing an iron mask.
"Circus Gothica. Come and get your freak on… with real freaks. Circus Gothica! Coming to Amity Park. Cross over… to the dark side…"
Pamela turned the TV off.
"Now there's some evil mind pollution we won't be seeing any time soon, sweetie."
"But we already bought our tickets!" Sam exclaimed, as her parents raised eyebrows at her. She gave out a sigh of frustration.
"We'll be fine, it's just harmless entertainment, right Tucker?"
"Yeah!" Tucker agreed. "There's no way I'll cross over to the dark side… Probably Sam already did, but…"
"Hilarious." Sam said sarcastically. "Come on, let's leave now. Jazz must be waiting."
Then they left the confused Manson parents.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP-
The dwarf ghost laughed, slinging a sack of cash on his shoulder.
"Opening a new back account? Don't forget your free toaster!" Phantom fires a concentrated ecto blast on the short ghost, knocking the money sack from him. The sack then lands on a cop car, causing it to swerve into a fire hydrant. The cops gasped.
"It's a ghost boy!"
"I didn't intend to get fans on my first day at the human world", Phantom facepalmed. He then proceed to chase the other ghosts, but temporarily skids to a stop as he found a huge Circus Gothica billboard. He stared at the spiraling red from Freakshow's orb and gets temporarily hypnotized. However, he shakes his head and phases through it, to find himself at the opening ceremony of the circus, everything finished being set up. With a bunch of Gothic people, Phantom was surprised to see Sam, Tucker (forced by Sam to wear a T-Shirt with a Cross bone logo), and Jazz approaching them.
"Terrific. The crooks got away, Clockwork's gonna kill me, and now my human friends are probably in danger."
He gasped when he saw the cops around. He then proceed to go invisible and hid behind the iron drums, which was just beside Sam and Tucker.
"Come back here, Ghost Boy!" the cops ran to the opposite direction.
"Ghost boy?" Tucker curiously asked.
"Uh, hello there. Long time no see." Came a voice beside Tucker, making him shriek.
"Are they referring to this drum as the Ghost Kid?"
"Apparently, it is me." Phantom appeared, Sam, Tucker and Jazz's surprised face meeting his. "Come on, aren't you happy to see me?"
"Of course we are! But, why are you here? Don't tell me Sam already had you influenced in just a few hours, Ghost Kid." Jazz studied him, crooking her eyebrows while examining him.
"What? No! But you know, there were ghosts just now… And I want to return them to the Ghost Zone before something happens here."
While Phantom was talking to his human friends, Freakshow appeared from the train car and out of the shadows, with his eerie smile sending a shiver down Phantom's spine.
"Greetings, fellow outcasts." Freakshow started his speech. "I am Freakshow, your master of ceremonies. Are you ready to smile, relaz, and forget all your troubles amid the pleasant diversions of the circus?"
"NO!" the crowd of goths protested.
"Then you've come to the right place!" the pale man walked amidst the crowd. "Prepare to be disturbed and appalled by a small sample of the bizarre and abnormal world of Circus Gothica", he turned to the train car, as his subordinates started the show, a woman crawling on the rope like some kind of insect, a man balancing on a ball and juggling skulls, and a woman with heavy piercings on a spiked wheel. The last part is an extremely tall man in a skeleton suit. The goths screams can be heard. Phantom was staring at the swirling red of Freakshow's orb, completely mesmerized.
"This is the greatest moment ever. Nothing could ruin this for me!"
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP-
"Slaves! Center ring!"
The performers from the initial show gathered around Freakshow. The tall man pulled the costume he had earlier, and it is the dwarf ghost that Phantom beat earlier. The juggling man is a huge ghost, the spider woman being an eye-patched ghost and the heavily pierced woman is a tattooed ghost.
"For generations, my family has controlled ghosts with this…" he held up his staff. "untold power and all they could think to do was to entertain the masses, whereas I have found a much more profitable use for you minions." He digs through a chest of gold, obviously stolen. "And as soon as the newest member of our cast joins us, this entire town will be mine for the taking."
The orb glows, revealing Phantom's face, except that he had red eyes this time.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
"I never knew they'd ground me when the show will be tomorrow." Sam sighed and dropped her head on her bed. Tucker and Jazz sat beside their cushion, while Phantom floats around.
"Phantom, about earlier… What did you say about the ghosts?" Jazz turned to the undead boy.
"I don't even know where to start looking, Jazz. I asked your father to help me, and he's doing his best to find out where they are…"
In an instant, Jazz's phone rang.
"Excuse me." Jazz went outside to talk to her dad in private.
"Hello?" the 16-year old lass picked up. "Dad?"
"Jazzerincess, we have trouble. I found out where the ghosts are, and it's in that Circus Gothica", Jazz inwardly gasped. "I don't know, but tell Phantom to be careful. I'll be there soon, just message me where you are, sweetheart. Stay safe."
Jack ended the call, as Jazz reentered the Goth's room.
Only to see Phantom flying away, as Sam and Tucker gazed at him from afar.
"Wait, where is he going? Why did he suddenly leave?" Jazz asked out of concern.
"I don't have an idea, Jazz. He just acted weird, saying things like 'Unleash your dark side at Circus Gothica' and just flew away like that." Sam explained.
"Gee, Sam. I never knew you had too much influence to Phantom. You'll be the first one killed by his dad if something happens to him."
"Shut up, Tucker. We're being serious here!"
"Sorry, just trying to lighten up the mood here."
"Dad just told me something. I guess he's headed for the Circus Gothica."
"WHAT!?" Sam screeched. "That's unfair!"
"It just spells trouble, but come on, let's help him." Jazz said.
"Oh no! But that would mean going to the circus!" Tucker just stared at Sam. "Hello? Irony." The three ran off.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
"Please welcome a performer who puts the "death" in "death-defying acts"… the Grim Reaper himself!", the start of the Circus Gothica erupted, a hooded figure wielding a scythe gliding across the wire and balancing on the blade, causing the Goths to give an exploding cheer.
Outside, Sam ignores the entrance sign that says "Cast Only" entrance, and goes through the door, only to be caught by Freakshow.
"What are you doing back here?" the ringmaster asked.
"Woah! Freakshow! This is so cool!" Sam's mind wandered for a while, then abruptly snapped back to reality. "Focus… Uhm, I'm looking for a friend of mine who was acting kinda weird."
"Oh, that narrows it down to, oh, everyone in this tent! Haha!"
The 'Grim Reaper' approaches them.
"What are you doing, dolt? Get back out there and do your encore."
He pulled back his hood, revealing his identity to be Phantom.
"Sam?" he asked, wide green eyes staring at her.
"What's that?" Freakshow's eyebrows furrowed. "Was that - Was that free will?" Freakshow raised his staff, and Sam noticed that Phantom's eyes turned blood red.
"What? You're controlling him?" she gasped in disbelief.
"Get her."
Phantom raises his scythe, as Sam gave out a wild scream.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
"Please welcome a brand new vict—talent to the high wire in her first… and final… performance."
Up on the highwire is Sam with a blindfold, Phantom in his hooded form slicing it off. Sam looks down and acrophobia crawled onto her, making her lose her balance.
"Sam?" Tucker and Jazz called simultaneously.
"Phantom, listen, you don't wanna do this! You're being controlled!"
With a menacing laugh Sam thought he can never do, Phantom used the scythe to cut the wire. Sam falls down, screaming, and it was a split second when Phantom realized what he did, snapped out of the hypnotism and dived to save Sam. The unsuspecting crowd cheers at them.
"Phantom, don't scare me like that!"
Sam's relief was just for a mere second, as Phantom appeared controlled once again.
"How should I scare you?"
"Consider that a warning, girl." Freakshow warned her, as he walked off with Phantom.
Tucker and Jazz ran to her still confused form.
"Jeez, Sam, you nearly gave me a heart-attack!" Tucker ranted. "Can we take time off from your gothapalooza and actually look for Phantom?"
"That was Phantom, under the hood, Freakshow's controlling him with some kind of crystal ball! C'mon!" then they ran off, nearly bumping onto Jack.
"Dad!"
"Jazz, I never told you to come in this dangerous place." He scolded his daughter.
"I'm sorry, Dad. But Phantom appears to be controlled by the ringmaster. We got to help him!"
"He's right about the hypnotism thing… Come on, let's end this show!" the four headed to the train.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
Sam, Tucker, Jazz and Jack go in through a top flap in the wagon, Jack almost, well, getting stuck in the process. They land in piles of gold, money and basically the train was a moving treasure chest. Looking around, they say Freakshow's staff at the center.
"There's the crystal ball! Let's grab it and-"
The four are blasted out of the train, Phantom emerging with Freakshow.
"Phantom! No!"
"Yes, yes, please scream. A shame anyone who might help you is busy enjoying my free show. Ha!"
The train moved away, the four humans desperate to chase after it.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
"We have to jump." Sam and the others stood at the overpass, waiting for the train.
"You crazy? I can't jump." Tucker fearfully stated.
"Me too", Jack agreed to the Techno Geek.
"But we can't abandon Phantom!" Jazz said, as the four held hands and jumped together onto the train, Jack nearly falling, but the three teens managing to pull him up.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
The quartet ran along the train cars towards the front, the Circus Gothica members hearing their footsteps.
"What are you waiting for?" Freakshow glared at his controlled minions. "GO!"
The performers, who suddenly removed their disguise and revealed themselves to be ghosts suddenly phased up in front of the quartet, Phantom behind them.
"Phantom, wake up! It's us, Sam, Tucker Jazz and Jack. We're your first human friends, remember?"
It took a while for Phantom to blink, his red eyes turning green.
"Sam? I… I…"
Sam smiled at him. However, her relief was short-lived, as his eyes suddenly turned red again.
"I am a… ghost. I have no friends."
Freakshow climbed the top of the train as well.
"Don't waste your breath. He's under my control now. You." He faced Phantom. "Don't just stand there, finish them."
But Phantom just stared at them.
"Maybe you should try holding that thing up a little higher." Tucker suggested. For some odd reason, the clown-like human obeyed the Techno Geek, raised his staff, knocking it off his hands as the train passed under a scaffolding. Tucker almost had it at his hand, but misses by an inch, the orb landing on Phantom's hold.
"Way to go man!" Tucker walks up to Phantom, hand raised. "Now gimme five!"
However, when Phantom raised his hand, he blasted Tucker away with the staff, him hitting Jack, then pushing them to the large ghost, the undead grabbing them. Sam tried to rescue the two, but is held by the tattooed lady as well.
"Very good, drone. Now bring me my staff. Come on, bring it." He made some kissing noises, as if telling a puppy to come to him. Phantom almost looked uncertain at giving back his staff.
"Fight it, Phantom!" Jazz cheered. "He's not holding the crystal ball anymore, you are!"
Enraged, Freakshow grabs Jazz and throws her aside, nearly falling from the train in the process.
"Silence! Obey me, ghost! Give me my staff. Come on." He repeated the same kissing sound earlier.
"I saw you up on that high wire, you were fighting him the whole time!" Sam shouted. "Fight him now, Phantom! You're not just an ordinary ghost! Fight him!"
"Quiet!" Phantom groaned, clutching his head. "All of you! I need to think!"
The train crosses onto a bridge, a valley peeking from below.
"Well, it's the crystal ball or your friend, Phantom, your choice!" the remaining ghosts approached Jazz, making her back away and fall in the process. "AAAAHHH!" the girl screamed as she fell.
"Jazz! No!" Tucker screamed
"Jazz?" Phantom seemed to be temporarily woken up from his daze. "Jazz!" he quickly jumped after her, not minding as the staff fell and smashes several feet under. He scooped Jazz from the air and went back at the top of the train, Jack almost in tears after thinking his daughter was dead.
"Oh my god, Jazz. I thought I'll lose you…"
"Phantom, are you ok?" Jazz rushed to the ghost boy clutching his head.
"I think so. It's all a blur. I did some bad stuff, didn't I?" Phantom looked apologetically.
"Nothing you can't fix." The girl smiled at him.
"Good. Now maybe you can convince the ghosts here to let go of us?" Tucker requested.
"H-Huh? Where are we?" the eye-patched ghost asked.
"Are we free? Finally free?" dwarf ghost beamed.
"Only one way to find out."
Phantom and the other ghosts gang up on Freakshow.
The train stopped in front of police cruisers that have blocked the track.
"Go back to the Ghost Zone before the other humans see you!" Phantom ordered the ghosts, by which they complied and flew away from the situation. He then went intangible, as the cops came in and shoved Freakshow in the police car. After the people left, Phantom reappeared, shocking the four.
"I would like to thank you for saving my daughter Jazz once again, Phantom", Jack smiled sincerely at him, Phantom reciprocating the kind gesture.
"I'm sorry if I caused a lot of trouble here…"
"You're barely a trouble, Phantom, you're just controlled. Although next time you should fly me as well. That's unfair." Tucker reassured him.
-DPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDPDP—
"For the latest news today, the Circus Gothica turned out to be a huge hoax, as the ringmaster Freakshow used real ghosts to perform, the bank robberies being conducted by the same person and ghost. It seems that this man has supposedly used these ghosts for stealing and performing by hypnotizing them…"
Maddie stared at the television screen, disappointment written all over her face.
"W-Why is Jazz there!?" Maddie just looked at the 4 figures on the screen, interviewed by the police.
"I thought Jack said never to involve my daughter on those things again…"
A/N: Bruh, I never knew using a legit transcript from the episode itself is a bit tiring, and not satisfying at the least. It just doesn't sound original, and I feel like I'm restricted to write freely. I just tried to experiment with it, but I don't think I like it that much. Maybe you won't see me doing that again in the future chapters.
I changed a lot on the original script, such as exchanging Tucker for Danny in the scene where Sam's parents appear, and Jazz in Sam's last falling scene. It's for the purpose of fitting with this AU though heehee.
I'm sorry for not doing justice on Freakshow's part since the cartoon's transcript showed a more comical side of him, though I prefer a darker side in this fanfic. I'll change that once I get to the chapter where Reality Trip is in.
I find Freakshow's character somewhat scarier than Vlad's. Vlad is a pretentious character in the series, and is more of a villain wanting to steer Danny to the evil side using not-so-fatal methods (probably at the first part, but meh), while Freakshow is downright creepy even at the beginning.
Thanks for reading, and please drop a review. ~AyaPie