Holy wow! I never expected this story to go so far in such a short time. Thank you all so much for the reviews! And to those who remain silent... I hope you've been enjoying the story! (Starts wondering who fangirls/boys when they read this...)Now, for what you've been waiting for: READ!

Danny moved his head slowly around to meet the dog's death glare. The beast growled endlessly, almost never taking a breath. It stalked toward him, a large distance still to cover. Danny didn't budge. His mind was racing, trying to think of every possible escape without blowing his identity.

Running? I'll be caught long before I reach the back fence. Jump the fence next to me? If I can jump it, so can the dog. Hold still? It's still coming. Call for help? They won't reach me in time, also, they'll be mauled too. Except maybe Isabel, it's her dog. Assuming it recognizes her in time. What can I do? What can I do? Danny continued to panic through every scenario. The dog barked, snapping Danny's focus.

Then Danny smirked. Idea. His eyes blazed their radioactive green, boring into the dog's glare. It stopped advancing. Danny allowed his own growl to escape his throat, scowling and continuing his onslaught of visual daggers. The dog whined and tucked its tail between its legs, backing up slowly before turning and howling for the safety of its cage. Danny's eyes returned to their normal baby blue as Danny turned away to run for the safety of his friends and the fence.

They jumped the slightly higher fence as they saw Danny coming. Duncan stayed back to help Danny over, which meant locking his hands together and preparing to catapult Danny over. Danny's foot entered Duncan's hands and Danny soared above the fence. He enjoyed it for a moment, before realizing how high Duncan had thrown him. Danny's arms became pinwheels as he fell, stopping when he face planted the dirt.

"So, so, so, sorry dude!" Duncan apologized as he cleared the fence himself.

"No, you're fine." Danny's muffled and hurt voice came up from the soil. "Speaking of apology, what made Jenna scream?" Danny requested as Jenna and Kenny helped him up.

"There was a spider the size of a nickel in the bush!" Jenna yammered with a slight blush. That's when Isabel started her own ramble.

"I'm such a moron! I should've taken care of Hoover long before anyone got here, or at least told you guys about him! Ugh, I was too into our plans, now look what I've done…"

"Hoover… you mean the dog?" Jenna stopped Isabel.

"Yeah. Hoover the guard dog. It's still my fault! I didn't tell Danny where to meet us and look at what almost happened!" Isabel was almost crying.

"Isabel, it's not your fault. If anything, it's all our fault for not passing the word to Danny." Duncan comforted her.

"You got the book and the salt, right?" Kenny asked. Isabel's face changed from one of regret to even more horror.

"Whoops…"

"Alright, Isabel, where are we headed?" Duncan asked once she returned with the necessary items. At least the dog left her alone. Danny mumbled in his thoughts. Hoover had rather escorted Isabel than anything else.

"You'll see. Follow me!" Isabel winked.

They walked for about twenty minutes, up and down multiple hills, along a dirt path outside the city limits. Danny was starting to sweat in his hoodie, despite the cool night air. He paused to take a look at the city. Street lights here and there illuminated the otherwise dark sidewalks and asphalt. With the rest of the city so dark, the neon bright 24/7 gas station seemed misplaced. Danny giggled at the thought.

"We're here!" Isabel announced. Danny turned around and ran to catch up, only to stop with everyone in front of an abandoned farm house. Next to it was a corral, which was totally falling apart. The moon did justice by scarcely illuminating the run down building, forcing an eerie feel to wash over the teens.

"This is the perfect place because…?" Danny uttered his question.

"Because it's said that this is where a ghost presumably lived! Don't worry, I've got the name and everything. Apparently this guy died from an early morning accident when his kids wanted to surprise him by having the morning chores done. They tried to work the tractor, but it ended up rolling away. Their dad came out of the house to grab the morning paper, but got crushed by the tractor instead."

"Ooo..." Duncan winced. "Talk about a bad Monday morning."

"Let's get started!" Isabel cheered. When she meant 'let's', it became 'her' because she was the only one who knew what she was doing. Everyone else simply cleared a space for her and stayed out of the way. Isabel quickly had the circle sprinkled out. Danny took one look at the circle to realize that this would actually work. I've seen this circle before. I think it was in either my castle's library or Frostbite's study.

"Sit down around the circle, perfectly spaced out, please." Isabel commanded, doing the same. They followed her orders.

"You ready?" Isabel grinned maliciously. Danny glanced at his friends, unsure of what would happen.

"I call upon the powers between that of life and death! I ask that for which I cannot do alone! I ask for the privilege of speaking to whom is long dead! I wish to speak once more to the ghost of Walter Cunningham! Obey my desires and bring him to me!" Isabel chanted.

Wait, Walter Cunningham? Is that… Danny thought as he watched the salt glow with a soft green. The light rose high above their heads as moonlight poured into the middle. All at once the light vanished to reveal a translucent figure, holding a coffee mug. Danny grabbed his hood and flung it over his head.

"Well I'll be! If it isn't my old home!" Walter whistled. Everyone stared at the ghost man with jaws wide open. Jenna was the first to snap out of her daze.

"Hello, Walter! Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, of course! Ask away! Mind telling me all of your names first?" Walter turned to face Jenna first, making it clear he wanted her name first.

"Uh, I'm Jenna." She gulped.

"Well met, Jenna! I'm Walter Cunningham, resident ghost of this fine community. What did they change the name of this town to again?" Walter zoned out into his own world, subconsciously taking a sip of his coffee.

"Jenna, we're not supposed to give our names to the ghost!" Isabel hissed. Jenna paled at her mistake. Walter heard her and turned to face Isabel.

"Don't you worry, little missy! I'm not that kind of ghost, and I darn hope to never be!" He proudly announced.

"Alright Walter, ready for our questions?" Duncan asked.

"But we didn't finish introductions!" Walter whined, taking a few gulps of coffee afterwards.

"Alright, fine! I'm Duncan, that's Isabel, that's Kenny, and that's Danny. We good?" Duncan pointed a finger at each person in succession.

"Yep, we- wait a minute! Did you say Danny?" Walter gasped in excitement. The ghost turned to look at Danny, who greeted him with a green-eyed glare. Danny kept his hand down at his side, but motioned for Walter to knock it off.

"Hmm, never mind. Thought it was somebody I knew, yes I did." Walter quickly got the message.

"Question time! Walter, how many ghosts are in this city?" Isabel began.

"About thirty." Walter kept his answer short, drinking some more coffee.

"How powerful are these ghosts?" Kenny asked.

"Just strong enough to do the basics. Disappear, re-appear, fly, intangibility. Look scary when they're mad, that sorta stuff."

"Okay… what about ghosts outside of this city?" Isabel inquired.

"I'm not too rightly sure. 'Course, there's the Ghost Zone." Walter said.

"The Ghost Zone?" Duncan repeated.

"Yep! Place where every ghost lives if not in the real world." Walter sighed and continued, "The swirling green clouds can make anyone feel at home! Then again, the swirling green everything makes me slightly dizzy if I look too long."

"What kind of ghosts are in the Ghost Zone?" Jenna dug her nails into the dirt next to her.

"Ah, the ghosts of the zone are the powerful ones! They can do everything, too! Like control the environment 'round them, shoot fire and ice, stuff like that. OH! Some ghosts can transform into something else, but I hear it takes a lot of concentration and energy." Walter began rambling.

"Okay, okay! We get it. Is there an order or government in the Zone?" Duncan leaned forward in anticipation.

"Each section of the Zone is different, see. So you can have cavemen tribes right next to modern day order. These 'kingdoms', if you will, have different laws. You'd understand that ghosts tend to stay with the time they lived in. But, there is one system over the entirety that is the Zone. That is of our single Ghost King." Walter stopped there, looking at each teen for dramatic effect. However, he did not continue.

"Well? What's he like?" Kenny finally snapped.

"First, I'd have to explain a bit of history. You kids ready for a quick lesson?" Walter's turn to ask a question. They all nodded, Danny having done nothing, not moving or speaking.

"I'll have you know I had to have this story told to me by other ghosts. Ahem." Walter cleared his non-existent throat and began.

"Very well. It was before most of the ghosts that remain in the zone, close to the beginning of time itself. The first Ghost King was Pariah Dark. He took over with virtually no resistance, being enhanced by his connections to the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire. Soon there were ghosts that would not take his tyrannical rule anymore and, together, sealed him in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep. Millenniums passed. Some idiot in the pursuit of power released Pariah and caused a good portion of the Ghost Zone to be destroyed in Pariah's waking path. It was at this time a champion stepped forward- a ghost that did not live in the Zone- and fought Pariah. The champion was successful in sealing Pariah back in his sarcophagus. Some time passed after this historical event, that the ghosts finally concluded that the hero, Danny Phantom, should be crowned as the new King of all Ghosts." Walter concluded. He inhaled a large portion of his coffee before he bowed and anticipated the reactions of the teens.

"That's…actually pretty cool." Kenny admitted.

"I would've never guessed that ghosts have a history all their own!" Jenna exclaimed.

"I'm impressed, that's for sure. But how does this explain what Danny Phantom is like?" Isabel asked.

"From what I told you, he's a hero. A big heart, knowledgeable, knows his way around in a fight, and is only a kid. Specifically, a teenager like yourselves." Walter answered. Danny blushed and tried to keep a straight face as his friends were dumbstruck.

"Holy crap. No older than us, huh? That'd be like Duncan fighting his dad and winning." Kenny commented, earning a visual dagger from Duncan.

"Does he look anything like this?" Jenna suddenly asked, pulling out from her pocket a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and handed it to Walter.

"That's a fairly good sketch, Miss Jenna. And yes, that is His Highness, Danny Phantom." Danny fought to contain his laughter once his friends realized what they were up against- or rather, what they had unknowingly befriended.

"Will that be all for tonight?" Walter bowed again, then straightening to drain his cup and holding it upside down as if expecting more to fall out.

"Yes, thank you for your time, Mr. Cunningham." Jenna tipped her head. Walter waved good-bye and melted out of view. If you ever need me, you know where to find me! Walter's words from the previous night spoke themselves in Danny's mind.