I have made a decision. It is defiantly not permanent, but I will post an about 2,000 word chappie very 2-3 days. I've been writing a lot more detail then I've planned (or thought) I'd ever be able to do. And, I don't want to make ya'll wait four or five days just for a 4,000-6,000 word chappie, do I? Of course, you can review and vote. If you want longer ones that appear less often, say so, or if you want shorter ones every couple days (maybe some exceptions until school's out), say so. Special surprise at end of part one!

Chapter 9: Exposed part one

Appa yawned. The clouds below him looked like soft pillows. He was tempted just to go and lie down on them, even for a bit. But he was also too awake to sit still.

Katara stead leaning over the saddle with Dani. "This clouds look so soft, don't they?" She said wishfully.

Dani gave a tired grin. "Yeah. I just wish we could jump down and land on it like a soft pillow." She eyed Danny, to see if it was possible they could reveal themselves.

She had been trying to convince him it was okay, but he didn't want to. It was a nasty habit of his. But, just because they couldn't reveal themselves doesn't mean that they still couldn't go down.

Danielle formed an invisible and intangible clone in place. Quickly, she switched places with it. Danielle was a natural at cloning, and it drove Danny nuts. But, hey, she still couldn't control ice.

Danny caught on when he saw his cousins mischievous grin, of course, his ghost sense going off was a clue, too.

He did the same thing with a clone.

The two invisibles floated upwards, then transformed. They did it right on time, too, the revealed themselves just as Aang said, "Let's do it!" And he bounded off Appa's head.

The two Halfas quickly followed. Danny was actually surprised he hadn't thought of this sooner.

The group fell through a cloud, leaving a cloud angle in their place.

Okay, this was Sokka and Katara's first time to see Danielle Phantom in action. They had met her briefly when she helped with Hon, but she disappeared the way Phantom did. Right away and without answering questions.

Danny laughed cheerfully as the wetness brushed his cheeks. Somewhere, he could hear Dani and Aang doing it, too.

Aang snapped his glider open, then flew back onto the saddle with a wet thump. The two Halfas followed, all dripping wet. But, of course, the Halfas just turned intangible, letting the water fall to the land below.

"As it turns out," Aang told them. "Clouds are made of water."

Dani's clone almost said, "Well, dur-da-dur!" but she stopped herself when a burnt forest came into view.

The real Danny and Dani noticed it, too, and turned invisible. Then, the pair merged back with their clones.

"What's that?" Katara said, just now noticing the vast black forest. A particular patch of it was burnt to a crisp, but the surrounding area was lushes with green plants.

"It's like a scar," Sokka stated, none of his usual amusement in his eyes.

The group landed on the patch.

The soil was caked in ash that hadn't been blown away for some unknown reason.

"Listen," Sokka said.

Dani walked over to a tree, touched it, and squealed when it turned to dust. It was like a ghost town. (No pun intended).

"It's so quiet," Sokka finished. "There's no life anywhere."

Katara glanced over at Aang, his back to her. "Hey, Aang, are you okay?" She asked in a gentle tone, as if afraid to disturb the silent scenery.

Danny was just wondering around, then gasped when he tripped on something. Animal tracks and footprints were all around them. "Guys," he called. Sokka was the first to be over there.

"Fire navy!" he claimed. "Those evil savages make me sick! They don't have any respect or—" he was cut off by a 'shhhh' from Danielle and Katara.

Those two girls had formed a sister-like bond.

Danny got up slowly. This place didn't feel quite right. It was almost… he gasped. He had seen this place before! Some place in the Ghost Zone. What was it call? Some sort of spirit would occasionally wonder into the forest, completely untaxed by the fact he wasn't even in his own universe.

That's when it hit Danny. These worlds must've been connected at one point or another. That was just… odd. Another world connected to the Ghost Zone? Did that mean, when he was done with this mission, he could come back anytime?

He snapped out of his trance when he saw the Aang hunched over.

The Airbender was on his knees, just moving his hand around in the black soil. "Why would anyone do this?" He asked himself. "How could I let this happen?"

"Aang," Katara and Danny said. Danny blushed and let Katara finish the comforting words. "You didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you."

Aang moved into a cris-cross position. "Yes it does," he insisted. "It's the Avatar's job to protect nature; but I don't know how to do my job."

Danny moved over next to his new friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. Danny was never good at comforting others. But, he would try. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. "Aang, I empathize with you. I understand, okay? But, when things like this happen, you've gotta push forward. I've heard that 'the reason we have eyes on the front of our head is because it's more important to look towards the future then back at the past."

Katara was surprised. That was wisdom in his voice. The teen, fun-loving, and hyperactive teen, was actually very wide and intelligent. Unlike her brother.

Danielle was mostly shock by his use of the word 'empathize' correctly. He rarely ever even passed English… let alone the vocabulary part.

Aang didn't really pay attention to Danny. He was just too upset… but Katara had an idea.

She walked around, saw something, picked it up, then walked over to Aang. "Aang," she began, "are you ready to be cheered up?"

"No," was Aang's reply.

Katara ignored it. Actually, she threw something round and hard right at his head. "Ow!" he cried, reflexively moving his hand to his head.

A small acorn rolled away.

Katara was grinning widely, a Dani by her side. Danielle had a small collection of the little seeds in her small hands. The waterbender was tossing one acorn in the air and catching it.

"How is that cheering me up?" Aang complained.

Danny gave a quick laugh. His jokey self was back.

Sokka actually gave some unmanly giggles. "Cheered me up!" He said, only to get an acorn to the head and a scowl from Danielle. "Yeah," he admitted. "I deserved that."

Danny laughed.

Dani opened her mouth in a 'Oh-no-you-didn't' manner and threw a rock at him. And, it would've hit him, too, if Danny hadn't've turned intangible.

Katara didn't notice the little spout. Instead, she approached Aang and knelt down besides him. "These acorns are everywhere. That means the forest will grow back."

Danny had heard this, and instantly felt a pang in his gut. Katara was a mixture of Sam and Jazz. The male Halfa felt very homesick.

Katara put an acorn in Aang's hand and wrapped his fingers around it. Aang held it tight. "Thanks, Katara."

Katara gave a small smile, then gasped when she saw an elderly man coming towards them.

"Who are you?" Sokka demanded, standing up to face the elder.

His voice deep and kind as he said, "When I saw the flying byson, I thought it was impossible! But… those markings." He was standing in front of Aang, now, a hopeful look on his face. "Are you the Avatar?" Aang nodded. "My village desperately needs your help!"

Line break

The village was about double the size of Katara's water tribe and had a big building at the end of it.

Some houses were in pieces. Not burnt, like the fire nation, just pieces, as if someone— or something— stepped on everything.

The group followed the old man into the building at the end. The man was smiling the entire time. The building was full of people, elder, middle aged, and young. "This young man is the Avatar," he said.

That got everyone's attention. A middle aged adult walked forward, and placed his hands against each other, giving a slight bow. "So the rumors of your return are true," he stated. "It is the greatest honor of a life time to be here with you."

Aang did a small head bow and replied, "Nice to meet you, too. So, is there something I can help you with?" Aang was determined to help these people, for, even though he had know it wasn't his fault, he still felt bad about the forest.

The man turned away temporarily. "I'm not sure," he answered hesitantly.

The elder man walked up to him, a deep frown on his face. "Our village is in crisis. He's our only hope," he persisted. "For the last few days at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village.

Katara didn't miss Danny and Dani's heads and forms more alert, as if spirits were something they commonly faced. 'Well, duh,' Katara told herself. 'They're friends with two ghosts.'

"He's Haybi, the black and white spirit."

Haybi? Where had Danny heard that before… it was so familiar…

"Why would a spirit be attacking your village?" Sokka asked.

The adult walked forward saying, "We do not know. But each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are very fearful because the Winter Solstice is near."

"What happens then?" Katara asked.

Time seemed to freeze as Danny finally realized something. Wasn't the winter solstice the day the Ghost Zone's natural portal amount would increase ten fold? And, lucky for them, if it was strong enough, Danny had noticed this last year, he would be stuck in his ghost form for twenty-four hours. Not good.

Time began to play.

The elder said, "As the solstice approaches, the natural world and the spirit world will grow closer and closer until the line between them is blurred completely."

"Haybi is already causing depression and destruction," the adult added. "Once the solstice is here, there's no telling what will happen."

Dani was impressed how there voices held panic, yet remained in a soft monotone.

Aang stared at the door, all eyes watching the setting sun. "So," he began, "what is it you exactly want me to do?"

The elder approached. "Who better to solve a crisis between our world and the spirit world? The Avatar himself."

Katara clearer her throat. Instantly, all eyes and ears fell to the young water bender. She blushed greatly, but quickly got over her embarrassment. "Actually, I think Danny could do this," she suggested pointing to the male Halfa.

Danny's eyes widened. "What? What could I do?"

Danielle scuffed, "She probably means Phantom, Danny."

Katara shook her head, confusing the villagers even more. There had been rumors of the Avatar traveling with a spirit, a very powerful one, at that. But it was too absurd to believe. Until now, that is.

"I meant Danny," she clarified. "Look, I'm not positive, for I can't see how you can be into places at once—"

'Holy shit, she knows!' Danny thought nervously. Maybe Danielle was right. Maybe…

"— buy, I think you're Phantom." Katara finished.

Gasped escaped the room, though the loudest cam from Aang and Sokka.

Danny began to sway side to side, unsure how to respond. He but his bottom lip, but couldn't help it as a shy smile fell on his face. "Finally figured it out?" He asked back, also answering her question.

Dani jumped for joy. "Yes! See, Danny? I told you it was okay! You and your habit of keeping it a secret! I was right!" She transformed, the blueish rings forming around her core.

There were more gasps, and, again, the loudest coming from their group.

"I-I was right," Katara mumbled. Then louder, "I was right." Louder, "I was right!"

Aang stared at his friend. He hadn't old them he was… was there a reason? Or…

"Sorry I didn't tell you guys earlier, but, um, it's just a habit of mine. You see, where we come from, ghosts aren't welcomed by humans and humans aren't welcomed by ghosts. So, when you're half and half… you don't really belong anywhere."

Line break

Danny and Aang stood outside of the head building. Danielle had insisted on coming, but Danny was still older then her and (more or less) her father. She had to listen to him.

The sun had set. Aang tried all this high and mighty ruler stuff— similar to the way Danny had when he first got his powers— when the beast didn't show.

When it still didn't show, Aang said, "Okay. Well, I guess that's settled then." And he began to walk away.

Danny gasped as a… white?… mist escaped his mouth. "Aang," he called. "I think it's coming…"

The Airbender shot around in time to see a black and white monster emerge from the forest on all fours.

Now that they knew his secret, Danny shifted instantly and rose eight feet off of the ground to come face to face with the monster. He was about to attack, when something hit him. Physically.

Grunting, the Halfa stood up, only to be attacked by a slobbery substance. A small yelp came from his attackers mouth.

When Danny saw who it was, he grinned. "Hey, Cujo. Do you wanna help me fight a spirit monster?"

The green dog yelped happily as he grew to the same size as Haybi, a playful and happy look on his face.

I know, totally random, right? I just had to do it. For those opposed to Cujo, know this: He's only gonna be here this episode… unless, of course, my reviewers say other wise, hmmmm?

KNOW THIS: I thought this is an okay detail to give away. You all know how in the filler I talked about the Ghost Zone being connected to the Avatars world, but the ghosts sealed off the connection? Yeah, well, THE SEAL IS FAILING!

HA HA! I'm so evil!

Check out my other stories:

Shaken Into a New Destiny (Completed)

and

Odd One Out (new chapter in progress)

REVIEW!