Notes:

I am so sorry for the long wait. In truth, part of the delay had much to do with lack of time but also because I recently injured my wrist.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed. I apologize for not replying any review this time. Trust me, I have tons of pending messages from the last month or so, so it's not because I'm ignoring you or anything, hehe.

All right, on to the story. I hope you like this chapter. Oh, and just to make things clear: this story is officially post-season two and pre-season three, savvy?

Dedicated to Darth Frodo (you'll see why, (insert evil laughter here)).

Chapter 9: The Explaining

Phantom sighed. "Where do you want to begin?"

To be honest, I really don't know. There's just so much I want to ask, about Vlad, about Danny, and even about Phantom's involvement in all of this. Many of the things I've read, seen, and heard in the past few hours don't make much sense or are simply strange. Like, why would Vlad give me weapons to destroy the ghost kid? He clearly wants him as an apprentice or something, so why waste him? There are just so many mysteries in all of this...

I sigh as I continue watching my path, relieved that we haven't seen any ghost nearby. Not that I don't have enough energy to fight them. Even with my injured arm, I can still defend myself. I just can't afford to waste more time.

"Why don't we start with what's going on? What does Vlad want?" I ask after a while.

Phantom remains silent for a few seconds. I don't really feel comfortable whenever he does that. It makes me feel like he's trying to find a better way to deceive me. "I'm... not sure," he says in the same weary tone as before, though now it has some uncertainty added. "He wanted me to tell him how I got my Ghostly Wail. He forced me to use it over and over again unless I gave in. But, knowing Vlad, there has to be more to it than just learning a new ability."

"How come you never used it before?" I don't remember he ever used that kind of power in our past battles, probably because it's too draining.

"I've only used it a couple of times, but only when it's absolutely necessary," the ghost kid replies. "It's very destructive, so I don't want to take the risk of causing more property damage or hurting anyone. Besides, it weakens me a lot, so it's kind of a last resort."

Since when does he even care about property damage? He's always trashing stores, blasting buildings, and breaking windows, not to mention I always had to clean up whenever he fought at the Nasty Burger.

I try to dismiss those thoughts to continue with our little chat. "So, if it weakens you that much, how come you were able to use it so many times?"

Ironically, my question seems to send chills through Phantom's spine. "He kept recharging my energy by shocking me after every wail."

"The blue button..." I exclaim softly, more to myself than to anyone else.

"Yeah," he confirms softly. "I still don't know how he did it, but I hope it at least takes him a while to rebuild another one of those things."

Well, Phantom got somewhat hurt after every shock, but he still managed to get his energy back, or at least enough to use in a Ghostly Wail. But what if Vlad found a way to make it less painful? What if he uses it on himself to recover during a battle? We wouldn't be able to beat him! It was bad as it is...

"How did you find out, anyway?" Phantom asks, snapping me out of my current train of thought.

I mentally cringe. "What?"

I know exactly what he's talking about. But, if he really turns out to be Danny's friend, how am I supposed to explain that I found out about Vlad by hacking into Fenton's computer?

The weight on the jet sled shifts a bit as my spooky passenger moves from his spot. I look at him over my shoulder. He still seems tired, but at least he somehow managed to summon enough energy to stand up behind me. "How did you know that Vlad was half ghost?" he asks once more. The look in his eyes is both full of curiosity and defiance, as if he's daring me to lie.

Now that I think about it, why should I tell him? It's none of his business how I found out. If it were Danny, then that's another story. He and I need to talk about all of this. Including how he found out about my job as a ghost hunter.

But Danny's not here right now and I have to deal with Phantom in the meantime. I know that if I want the ghost kid to be completely honest with me, I have to at least be partially honest with him.

I sigh in annoyance as I try to think of a simple way to answer. "I found the note in Danny's room. I started looking up for some information on Plasmius and stumbled across a profile. The file had all this information about him and it explained his condition. That's all," I reply simply, shrugging as if it weren't a big deal.

"A profile?" The suspicious tone in which he asks this is proof enough that he doesn't believe me. "Wait, you hacked into Danny's computer?" he asks alarmed.

I turn to glance at him one more time over my shoulder. "How do you know what's on Danny's computer?" I ask while narrowing my gaze (and also while attempting to distract him).

My eyes shift back to the path ahead but not before I take a glimpse at Phantom's paling face. "I, uh, kinda helped him with all that research. We work pretty much as a team. I fight ghosts, he keeps tabs," he says with a nervous chuckle, which is suddenly interrupted by a pained hiss. I look at him and notice he's clutching his ribs. Apparently, he didn't recover from the first attack when Vlad caught him.

Before he notices my gaze fixed upon him, I direct my attention to the oozing doors in front of me. I don't want him to get the wrong idea. He might think I'm worried about him or something.

"How did you hack into his files?" he asks after a few moments.

Oh, boy... this will be embarrassing...

For Danny, I mean.

"Two words: Paulina Fenton," I reply dryly. "Seriously, is that all that goes through a boy's mind?"

"Well, maybe he just forgot to change his password," he exclaims a bit defensively. What's with him, anyway? "Why don't we just forget about that?"

"Fine with me."

"So, how much do you know?" he asks after a beat.

To be honest, I think I know a lot more than I wish I knew…

"I know about Vlad's accident, his previous plans, his intentions, and even that he used me to get to you," I practically mutter this last part. It's enraging and frustrating just to think about it. "What I still don't know is why he's so interested in Danny."

A tense silence fills the atmosphere. I think I'm making the ghost kid uncomfortable with these questions, which might mean that I'm doing the right ones. Well, at least he's answering all of them. For his own sake, he'd better be telling the truth.

"He… uh… sort of wants him as a son," Phantom begins to explain. "Since Vlad couldn't get the woman of his dreams, he's now aiming for the son he never had with her," he adds bitterly.

That kinda makes sense, especially since Vlad seems to be obsessed with everything he sets his mind on, at least according to his profile. Still, there's something wrong about all of this. "If that's true, then why didn't he just take Danny instead of going after you and the others?"

"Most things with Vlad are complicated," he replies after yet another pause. "He likes to see the whole thing as if it's chess. So, even if his moves don't make sense, they somehow help him in the long run. There's usually a failure in his plans, that's how I'm usually able to beat him. Well, that and luck, I guess. But even if he loses a battle, he always finds a way to turn those failures into advantages."

"What do you mean?" I ask intrigued. The spook sure seems to know Plasmius well. So, maybe if I learn how Vlad's mind works, I'll be able to prepare myself for any future attack.

Phantom sighs. "Remember the fight against the Ghost King?"

"Even if I didn't, you've kept reminding me about it today," I reply in a droll tone.

"Right." Even though I can see him, I can practically hear how he rolls his eyes while he speaks. "Anyway, during that battle, he lost the Ring of Rage and got his two pawns injured: you and me. So, that should be considered a failure, right?" I nod slowly, not sure where he's going with this. "Well, since Pariah Dark was no longer in the picture, the Fright Knight apparently went to Vlad's side. And while I was unconscious after the fight, he took the Fenton Battlesuit and the Crown of Fire. Three advantages to compensate for three losses".

Wait, what?

Vlad has the Ghost King's crown? Wouldn't that give him more power or something in the Ghost Zone?

"There's probably a lot more you should know about him," Phantom continues before I can even mutter a word.

"We have time," I simply reply. "What else has he done that I haven't read in his profile?"

I really need to find out more about Vlad. After all, he seems to be more dangerous than I thought…

"The other clones actually melted and I managed to destroy everything, so there's a chance he won't try it again. At least for a while," Phantom mutters. "Anyway, I still don't know where Danni's hiding, but she won't cause any trouble if she ever comes back, so don't worry."

Yeah, right. Like I'm going to trust a clone more than I trust the ghost kid.

This is still a lot to digest for a day. After all the stories Phantom told me in the past few minutes (or hours, I'm not sure; I kinda lost track of time), it seems like there are more questions than answers. And the mystery deepens if I take into consideration all the small slips and omitted data during his narration. He didn't even mention much about Danny.

"All right, so what about Danny? How did he get involved in all of this?"

"I already told you," he replies.

"No, you said he was helping you somehow, but you haven't told me what he does exactly." I think I sound more demanding than intended, but I don't really mind. I want to know how much he's involved in all of this.

Phantom sighs tiredly. "He's the one who first found out that Vlad was half ghost, all right?" he replies. "Since Danny found out his secret, Vlad's been trying to recruit him ever since, aside from the whole 'son' thing. I think he sees some sort of potential in him," the ghost adds with a shudder.

"So Vlad's revenge involves having Danny betraying his own dad?" Well, even if Vlad is sick, at least I know Danny would never do that.

"Yeah, but more often than not, they're all are protected against Vlad."

"Today doesn't seem to be a good example," I mutter dryly. "How are they protected, anyway? The Fentons aren't exactly the best ghost hunters around."

"You know, you should give them a lot more credit than that," Phantom says with a hint of annoyance. "Most of their inventions work, they've done a lot of research throughout the years, and they can definitely defend themselves. Sure, da-Danny's dad isn't always very competent, but trust me when I tell you he would do what's necessary when it comes to saving his family."

Jeez… since when did he get so defensive about the Fentons?

"Still, you have to admit that's not enough to fight against Vlad," I say instead.

"True, but that's why they have me to help them, even if the only ones aware about it are Jazz, Sam, Tucker, and Danny."

"Jazz is also involved?" I ask without hiding my surprise. "But she's too--"

"Overbearing?" Phantom supplies jokingly.

"She's considered a genius," I reply, trying to ignore his comment. "She would know better than to get involved with a ghost like you."

"Gee, thanks," he exclaims sarcastically.

I roll my eyes at that. "You know you're still not completely trustworthy, Phantom." To be honest, I don't know if he'll ever be. "So, if they're all involved… do they know who I am?" I ask before he can protest the previous statement. Even though I tried to sound calm, I know there was some nervousness in my voice.

"I don't know," he says after a long pause. "I haven't told them, but they might've found out by themselves."

"What about Danny?" I insist. "There's a chance he knows, right? You said it yourself: he's the one who made the database, so he has to have figured it out."

"What if he's just waiting for you to tell him?" he responds softly. "It's your secret, not his. Besides, he really wants to be your friend, sometimes even more than that. He already has to deal with ghosts all the time, so maybe he likes having that tiny bit of normalcy left with you, even if it gets awkward for him at times."

To be honest, I like having that 'tiny bit of normalcy' with Danny. Goofing around, talking about silly things, laughing whenever we hear a funny word, sharing stories that don't involve ghosts for a change… I love having all that with him.

But, if he's really waiting for me to tell him, would that ruin everything we already have? Would that change our friendship for the worse?

"Val, turn left," Phantom suddenly exclaims, before I can even make another comment. I questioningly raise an eyebrow and look at him. "If we keep heading on this direction, we'll fly by Walker's prison, and I doubt he'll let us go easily."

I cringe at the thought and immediately slow down. "Do you at least know another way to reach the portal?" I ask, deciding to ponder about Danny later.

"Yeah. Turn left," he repeats.

At this, I can't stop my gaze from narrowing. "If this is some cheap trick to lead me to your lair or some sort of trap, I swear you'll regret you ever got an afterlife," I threaten through gritted teeth. I still don't trust him, so who's to say he won't try to take me to one of his spooky friends so he can get me out of the way?

Don't be paranoid, Val. He's weak. He can't really stand a chance against you, right now.

"What's it going to take to change your opinion about me?" Phantom exclaims after a tired sigh. "Because I've already proven time and again that I'm not trying to hurt you!"

I can't help but scoff at this. "You want me to list your crimes, spook?"

"But I've already explained everything!"

"I just can't trust you!" I angrily yell, which causes the ghost kid to shut up. Taking a deep breath, I turn my glider to the left, just like Phantom told me to. "Look, I admit I need your help to find Danny and I've even been willing to dismiss our past fights for now, but even if you're saying the truth about being Danny's friend, that doesn't mean I consider you a good guy. I already gave you the chance to prove yourself once and you still turned against me."

"I didn't turn against you," Phantom replies sternly. "Things were just too complicated and led to more misunderstandings."

"That's why I'm still trying to figure out all of this!" I snap at him. "Everything I believed in has been brutally shattered today. I used to live by constants, facts, truths... but it's just not that easy.

"To me, Vlad Masters was a man I could admire. He gave me the opportunity to canalize my anger and frustration into something useful: ghost hunting. Then it turns out it was all just to get to you and possibly even Danny.

"After everything that's happened today, the only thing left for me to trust, to believe, and even to hold on to is the fact that all ghosts are evil. Plasmius proved me that. I mean, even with half of his humanity remaining, he manipulated me for his own benefit! Everything he said turned out to be a lie.

"So, do you still want to know why I can't trust you?"

I let my words sink into his thick head while I look at the new path he recommended. This part of the Ghost Zone doesn't look much different, but I can see a few less lairs nearby, which could be a sign that we're not going to face as many dangers as I did before.

"It's never easy," Phantom says, startling me a bit since I didn't really expect an immediate reply. "Enemies, friends, life, death, love, hate, trust... those will always be hard to define, especially in our case. We're fifteen and we deal with these concepts day after day, even more than the average person.

"That's why we take risks every now and then. We trust, we love, we hate, but we're never sure if it's the right choice. We declare enemies and friends, but at the end they don't always have that label permanently.

"What I'm trying to say is you don't have to figure out everything right now, but try to keep an open mind."

A small burst of guilt washes over me. I hate it when he makes me feel as confused as right now. Whenever I get close enough to him, he always manages to say something that will turn my views on him upside down, even if it's just for a moment.

Could it be that he's more than an annoying and dangerous ghost? After hearing everything he said, does he really care? Does he actually have some feelings left?

Is it possible that we're more similar than I thought?

"Why?" I muse out loud.

"Why what?" the ghost kid asks confused.

I slow down and turn to look at him. "Why are you making things so complicated?"

Phantom stares at me in disbelief. "I'm making things complicated?"

"It's not just the secrets you seem to keep or the plans Vlad comes up with. You're always talking like a good guy now and acting like a bad guy later. What's it going to be? Because I'm seriously tired of this game you're trying to play."

The ghost kid furrows his eyebrows. "Just because there's trouble and I'm the only one standing, it doesn't mean I'm the one causing all the damage," he replies. "If you haven't noticed, I've been fighting ghosts ever since they first showed up in Amity Park. I've stopped ghosts as powerful as Pariah Dark and--"

"And you also tried to kidnap the mayor!" I interrupt. "You were even declared 'Public Enemy Number One'!"

Yeah, my opinion of him isn't solely based on the things he's done to me…

"I was framed!" he defends once more. "Look, if I'm not going to be able to convince you by telling you the truth behind all those situations, then let me find another way to prove I'm a good guy."

"Like what?" I ask with an unimpressed tone.

Phantom seems to hesitate for a second before his face brightens. "The portal!"

"How would the portal prove it?" Is he trying to confuse me again?

The ghost rolls his eyes and points to something ahead of us. I turn around and notice a swirling green vortex a several feet away.

My stomach gives a nasty flip as we approach the portal. Once in Amity Park, I'll have to look for Danny and the others, but what if we're already too late? What if they're nowhere to be found?

I shake my head and try to dismiss these thoughts. "I hope there's still time," I whisper to myself.

A hand rests on my shoulder and I notice it belongs to the ghost kid. "We'll find them. They've dealt with ghosts before. Don't worry," he exclaims reassuringly. I simply stay silent.

I still hate it when he does that...

We finally reach the portal and cross it without hesitation. The lab is just the way I left it and there are still no signs of anyone in here.

The ghost kid hops off my jet sled and floats a few inches above the floor. He summons a small ectoblast in his hand without releasing it, which casts a dim light in the dark corners of the room. The ball of energy looks weak, but I guess it's still a bit helpful.

Snapping out of my observations, I place my hands on my hips and turn my narrowed gaze towards my ghostly companion. "Let's make things clear, spook. If you're going to help me find them, you have to stay where I can see you. I don't want you to pull any of your stunts."

"Can't we just keep each other informed?" he asks. "It's easier if we split."

It's easier, but I don't know if it's safer. I mean, what if he has some plan up his sleeve?

Okay, I have to stop doing that. He wouldn't be able to hurt me, even if he wanted to.

"I'd feel a lot more comfortable if we didn't go in different directions," I reply in all honesty.

Phantom seems to be internally debating about something. Judging by the looks of it, he's probably trying to come up with a different 'solution'. "I never really thanked you for saving me back there," he says after a brief pause, which catches me completely off guard.

"So why are you bringing that up now?" I question him intrigued. Seriously, what does that have to do with anything in this moment?

"I just wanted you to know that before I left," he answers. Before I can even think about the meaning behind his words, he turns intangible and flies through the ceiling.

"Hey! Come back here!" I can't believe he did it again! He... left. Just like that! Oh, but he's not getting too far. He's still in a bad shape and I still have a reliable tracker with me.

Without wasting another second, I click on my jet sled and maneuver it out of the room. I go from there towards the second floor, where I fly out of the residence through Danny's open window. I could've used the front door, but I don't want to destroy anything, not to mention I would be drawing too much attention to myself.

Heck, I'm already drawing too much attention to myself as it is.

The good thing is it's already dark, so I might be able to blend better with the darkness. I don't even know how late it is. Probably enough to get myself grounded for the rest of the school year. With my luck, it might be much more than that.

I'll worry about that later. Right now, I have to find Phantom before he does something… something… whatever he's trying to do!

He knows, doesn't he? He knows where they are, or at least he knows where Danny is. If they're friends, why wouldn't he tell me? This only confirms my suspicions: Phantom tricked me.

A dim dot appears on my tracker. He's not far away. In fact, he doesn't seem to be moving too fast. I might be able to reach him soon enough.

I continue following my tracking device and soon see him flying a few feet ahead of me. We've reached the park where it all started. Maybe he wants to find some clues over there. I prepare a net launcher as I see him flying towards some trees. Wait… he's not flying; he's falling.

This has to be a sick form of irony.

The dot becomes dimmer and I can't see the ghost kid from above. I finally dive down towards the place he crashed to start looking for him. My visor helps me to see better in the dark, but I still can't see any trace of him.

Before I can fly an inch further, I hear a pained grunt. That's when I notice a faint glow coming from behind a tree. I move closer and find Phantom, lying unconscious on the ground. Again. He probably used all the energy he had left to fly away from me.

So what am I supposed to do now? I'm not going to take him in for some questioning. That's a mistake I'm never going to repeat. I mean, if he was so desperate to get away from me, he's definitely guilty about something. How much did he lie to me today?

I don't have time for this. If he's not going to help me find the ones I'm looking for, I shouldn't waste more energy on him. Maybe I should just leave him there. Sparing his afterlife this time will be the last favor I ever do for him. It's the only thing I'll do for helping me against Vlad.

But that's it.

"If I ever see you again, Phantom, I won't be as nice as today."

I take another look at the dormant body of my most complicated enemy yet (aside from Plasmius, of course). He seems almost fragile compared to how he usually looks. I avert my gaze and prepare to leave when a bright light catches my attention. I turn around once again and stare baffled at the new sight in front of me...

Notes:

What to say… what to say…

See you on the next update?

Coming soon:

Chapter 10: The Staggering