A/N: I cannot express how sorry I am that it took so long to get this chapter up. I really am sorry. School's been crazy and it was Philosophy paper time again. This month's subject: Karl Marx vs. Georg Hegel, two philosophers who are exceptionally hard to understand (at least for me). It was so torturous because I really really wanted to write butI couldn't and it drove me crazy! It probably didn't help that Kingdom Hearts II came out this week and I spent almost all weekend playing that game...

Anyways, the chapter's done and the next one's almost done too, so that's a good thing! They were originally going to be the same chapter, but it started getting way too long and I just decided to stop here. I hope you don't get too mad at me!

Oh, and thank you for all your reviews! I know I say this all the time, but I really mean it. You guys are what keeps me writing, so thanks a bunch! And I'm sorry to repay your kind words by taking so long to update!

Chapter Ten
Ghostly Vow

Danny didn't leave Mr. Lancer's room until the end of lunch as they talked over many different topics. Danny had never realized that Lancer was actually quite easy to talk to and had a vast amount of experience that he was more than willing to impart onto his students, if they gave him the chance. Danny didn't think he could look at Mr. Lancer the same way again after their conversation. Instead of seeing him as just some boring teacher he now saw him as a man to be respected, one that had many answers, one he could go to in his times of need.

Danny rejoined everyone in PE and told Tucker and Sam that he'd relay his lunch conversation with Lancer later, since Coach Tetslaff didn't seem to be in a good mood, and based on the attitudes he'd been receiving from his other teachers, he didn't think he should risk making her mad.

To Danny's surprise though, PE was actually tolerable, for the first time in a while. He didn't have to hold back, pretend to be the weakling that he was before the accident. When they ran he could be at the front of the line with Sam. When they lifted weights he gave Dash a run for his money. Even Coach Tetslaff was impressed at his new physical fitness, though it never occurred to her that it was because he was a ghost. Then again, most of the student population believed that her IQ was equal to the number of pepperoni slices on a vegi pizza. Dash continuously accused him of using his ghost powers to cheat, but no one was really paying any attention to him save his best friends. They were all too busy seeing what he could really do without limitations. Most of them were convincing him to cheat and use his ghost powers anyways.

After PE Danny stood by his lockers, still feeling uncomfortable at all the glances directed towards him. He knew they would probably never go away and he probably wouldn't get used to them, but he was starting to accept that people would be looking at him strange for quite possibly the rest of his life.

"So Danny, what happened with Mr. Lancer?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, what could you possibly talk about for the entire lunch hour?" Tucker asked.

"Oh lots of stuff: homework policies, Mr. Dickens, telling me I should have punched Dash sooner."

"Wow, I'm impressed."

"So, what are the new policies?" Sam asked.

"They're being super lenient, it's going to be great! I have a week to do all my homework and if I so much as say that I have to go fight a ghost I'm automatically excused!"

"Lucky," Tucker muttered.

"You should have told Mr. Lancer sooner," Sam replied. "It would have made your life a lot easier."

"I think you should have told a lot of us a lot sooner," a voice remarked from behind him. He turned around and noticed Valerie standing, looking somewhat nervous.

"Valerie, hi," Danny greeted, feeling the same nervousness.

"We'll see you in class," Sam stated as she grabbed Tucker and they walked away, knowing that this was between the two of them.

"So…how's your day been?" Valerie asked, trying to carry on polite conversation.

"Better than expected," Danny answered.

"Are your teachers treating you well?"

"Reasonably. Mrs. Blathers is absolutely petrified of me and, well, you know how Mr. Dickens was acting."

"Yeah. He had no right to do that."

"Thanks. It really makes me feel good hearing you say that. I had to admit that before last night I thought you'd act like that towards me as well."

Valerie smiled weakly. "I had every intention of doing that if I did happen to see you. I thought about just avoiding you, figuring that if I didn't talk to you or see you then I wouldn't have to take a side. But then I realized that you wouldn't stay away from school forever and that I'd have to see you eventually. I was so torn, which was why I looked like such a wreck at the door last night. But after you left last I gave what you said a lot of thought and I decided that you were right. You're not just a ghost, you're a person too, and I need to accept that."

Danny smiled at her, relieved that she realized what he'd hoped.

"And I do still want to be your friend, but it might take awhile to get back to where we were. I hope you understand."

"Of course. However long you need is fine."

"And I hope you don't take this as an insult, because it's not. You're a wonderful person Danny, but I just…need to get used to it, you know?"

"Yeah, I do. Don't worry about it."

The warning bell rang and the two of them just smiled nervously.

"Well, we probably should get to class," Valerie suggested.

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow?" Danny asked.

Valerie nodded her head and started walking off to her class. Danny shut his locker and started heading in the opposite direction but turned around.

"Hey Valerie?" She turned around at the mention of her name. "Thanks."

"No problem." She smiled and then started walking to class before turning around again. "Oh and Danny?" He turned around. "You can call me Val."

Danny smiled and rushed off to class, feeling happier than he'd felt all day. At last, everything was starting to get better. He was going to school and he was actually surviving it, Valerie was willing to be friends again, he didn't have to worry as much about school work, and it seemed that people were getting more used to the fact that he was there. Things weren't as bad as he thought they would be. Maybe he could actually survive this. Maybe things wouldn't turn out to be that bad.

Again Skulker found himself facing the shadowed ghost in the mysterious ghost dwelling, the dark hallway lingering ahead of him ominously. He kneeled, waiting for his master to address him so he could give his report.

"Is the second part of the plan in action?" the malevolent voice echoed down the hall.

"Yes Master. It's in effect as we speak."

"Good, good. But it still isn't enough. He's not dejected enough, probably because his meddling and loyal friends and family are constantly supporting him, stemming his depression."

"I agree Master and I'm sorry but there's nothing more I can do."

"Yes there is," he added slowly, evil dripping off each syllable. "It'll take some careful planning, but I believe we can do it. I think it's time we step things up a notch, help my plan along."

Skulker stared down the hall, wondering what it could possibly be. From the sound of his new master's voice, it wasn't going to be pretty, or easy, and probably went against the few morals that he had left. But, it was sure to be better than the penalty he would receive if he refused.

"Danny will be miserable; we will make sure of it," he threatened, his evil cackle echoing menacingly down the hall through the darkness.

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Danny's heart leapt with joy that the day was finally over. He couldn't remember a day lasting so long in all his years as a student. He practically dashed out of his classroom, heading towards his locker. He pulled out the books he'd need to do his homework, talking with Sam and Tucker as Jazz met them.

"Hey Danny, how was school?" she asked.

"Not as bad as I thought, but definitely not like normal."

"Well you can tell me all about it in the car. Let's get out of here."

"I won't argue with that," Danny stated with a smile as they started walking out the door. Danny heard a lot of people shout goodbye to him, but any time he looked he didn't even recognize the person promising to see him the next day. Eventually he just started ignoring them and soon they were at Jazz's car, a parade following behind them.

They crawled into the car without giving the parade a bit of thought, that is until Jazz noticed that they were blocking her path to get out.

"Oh I don't believe this," Jazz remarked as she rolled down her window and stuck her head out. "Hey! Can we get out? I don't know about the rest of you, but we're tired and would really like to go home and get some sleep!"

"You can get out. Make Danny phase the car through us," one of the students in the front demanded.

"You have got to be kidding me," Danny remarked from the back seat. Just when he thought his problems were over…

"This is nuts. They seriously have screws loose in their heads or something," Tucker commented as he stared out at anxious crowd around them.

"That's implying that they at least have something in their head in the first place," Sam stated as she pondered the stupidity of the student population.

"Listen, if you don't get out of our way I'm going to call the police!" Jazz threatened.

"Go ahead. It'll be for a worthy cause," another student shouted.

"Are any of you intelligent at all?" Sam yelled out her window.

"This is getting ridiculous. I'm going to get Lancer," Danny stated as he turned invisible. "Keep them occupied."

"No problem there," Jazz promised as Danny flew out of the car and into the school that he had just joyously left. He flew into Lancer's room and appeared in front of Mr. Lancer's desk, making him jump.

"Sorry Mr. Lancer," Danny apologized.

"Don't worry about it Mr. Fenton. I'm just not used to students appearing out of no where. So what's the matter? I thought you'd left, judging by the fact that you practically ran out of here when the bell rang."

"I had, but the rest of the students won't let us leave the parking lot. They've formed a circle around the car and won't let us leave. They want me to phase the car through them."

"Homer's Odyssey!" Mr. Lancer shouted as he immediately jumped up from his desk and looked out the window, noticing the gathering of students around Jazz's red convertible. "Yes, yes, I should have expected something like this. Alright Mr. Fenton is your sister calling the police?"

"She threatened them with it, but that's about it."

"Alright. Tell her to go ahead and call them."

Danny nodded his head and flew back down to the car. "Jazz, call the police," his disembodied voice whispered in her ear.

"You know, for the record, I hate it when you do that," she remarked as she pulled out her cell and dialed the police. Meanwhile Danny flew back up to Mr. Lancer's room.

"She's calling them right now," he answered as he reappeared, earning another jump from Mr. Lancer, and Principal Ishiyama, who had also joined them. "Principal, I didn't know you were here," Danny greeted awkwardly.

"Good afternoon Mr. Fenton. I'm sorry about the problem. Mr. Lancer and I were just discussing it."

"I think…" Mr. Lancer started to say but drifted off.

"Mr. Lancer?" Danny asked, curious.

"I want to get a record of all the students standing there so I can put them in detention for life. But, Mr. Fenton, I would need to…"

"Be invisible," Danny answered for him, sensing why he was feeling so uncomfortable. Mr. Lancer had only just accepted that ghosts were a part of his daily life, let alone one of his students, and now he was requesting to be turned invisible.

"Yes. Would it be too difficult or awkward to ask…?"

"No problem," Danny answered as he went ghost, to the shocked looks of both Mr. Lancer and the principal. He flew behind Mr. Lancer and placed his arms under his armpits. "Alright, just a few words of warning. Do not lose contact with me, otherwise you'll become visible. Don't talk, because they'll hear you. When you're done, just poke me or something and we'll fly back up here. Also, we're going to be going through the wall, which Sam and Tucker say is really weird and Jazz still doesn't like doing. Ready?"

Lancer nodded his head and braced himself for the experience. Danny lifted him off the ground with ease and turned both of them intangible and invisible and flew through the window, towards the parking lot. They landed and Danny continued to keep one hand on Mr. Lancer's shoulder. He pulled out a video camera and recorded the students. He gestured to Danny to take him up a little higher so he could get everyone and then indicated that he was ready to go back. Danny flew them back into the room, much to the Principal's shock again.

"Well, that was…amazing, to say the least," Mr. Lancer stated as he composed himself. "Well, your teachers and I, with the help of Principal Ishiyama, will try and identify these students as soon as possible. Once they're identified, the worst punishment permitted by school law shall be administered to them."

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Fenton," Principal Ishiyama apologized.

"It's not your fault," he responded, though he was glad that someone decided to start taking responsibility for the students' behavior.

He flew back into the car just as the police pulled up. At the sound of the sirens many of the students fled, but a few resolute ones stayed where they were, and were rewarded by being toted off to the police station to await their parents to pick them up.

They finally arrived at home and Danny walked into the door, welcoming the fact that he was at home, away from school, from people, from the rest of the world.

Upon hearing the front door open his parents rushed up from the basement, smiles on their faces, ready to find out about their son's first day of going to school as the ghost boy.

"Hey sweetie! How was school?" his mother asked as she greeted him with a hug.

"Eh, not as bad as I thought it would be. I got barricaded against my locker by the student body, Mr. Lancer is now my favorite teacher, Mr. Dickens needs to die, Dash tried to shove me in a locker, and we had to call the police to clear a path of students so we could leave the school."

"They did what?" his mother asked angrily.

"You want to kill your teacher?" Jack asked.

"They wouldn't let you out of the school?"

Danny sighed and sat down, regaling his parents with the tale of his day at school and all the events that had happened.

Afterwards Danny went upstairs to his room to actually do his homework, for the first time in a while. He decided to do his math homework first, since he figured that even though he was technically allowed a week in which to do it, Mr. Dickens would be expecting it tomorrow. Danny was determined to show him that he was more than just a ghost, that he was human and could still be as good a regular student as everyone else.

A few hours later, Danny heard the phone ring but didn't even look up from his homework. The phone had been ringing constantly since the revelation and Danny had just gotten used to ignoring it. Anyone important who would want to talk to him would just call his cell.

Maddie, however, still answered the phone, although the caller ID was extremely helpful.

"I'll get it!" Maddie yelled from the kitchen. She looked at the receiver and groaned as she recognized the Wisconsin area code. "Hello," she greeted bluntly.

"Maddie! How are you my dear?"

"Don't even Vlad. I have half a mind to hang up on you. Now what do you want?" she demanded harshly, remembering the time spent at the cabin.

"I would actually like to speak with Daniel, if that's all right."

"Oh no you don't. You probably just saw the news and now want to talk to him. I'm surprised you didn't just fly straight out here. That seems a little more like you. Demanding, trying to weasel your way into the family."

Vlad chuckled. "Well, I assure you that my desire to talk with him is not centered around his newfound popularity, although I must say it was quite a shock to hear. Strangely ironic, don't you think? The Ghost Boy of Amity Park is the son of ghost hunters? The irony just kills me."

"Good-bye Vlad," she dismissed shortly, not liking his tone, or the topic of conversation.

"Maddie wait please, I'm sorry. Look, I just wish to ask him a simple question, that is all. Then I promise I'll leave you alone."

"And if I don't give him the phone?"

"Then I will fly out there."

"Danny! Telephone!"

Danny looked up from his math homework. Who would be calling him on his home phone? Well, practically everyone, but who would be important enough for his mother to mention?

He ran out into the hall and picked up the phone. "I've got it!" he yelled downstairs. "Hello?"

"Daniel, how are you, enjoying your fame?"

Danny growled at the voice, his eyes glowing green. He was about to slam the phone into the base when he heard Vlad's voice call his name again.

"Daniel, I think you'll want to listen, because if you don't, I'll hop on my jet and fly down there the minute I hear the receiver click, and I know you don't want that."

Danny gritted his teeth as he clutched the phone harder, bringing it back up to his ear. "You've got five minutes."

"That's plenty of time. I just wanted to make sure that you'd honor our deal and not tell anyone about me."

"What deal Vlad? The only deal I recall is that if you expose me I expose you and vice versa. So, if I expose you, you can still honor that deal and expose me too, but I doubt it'll do any good," he added as he smiled into the phone.

"Fine, then I'm asking you to please not tell anyone. My reputation would be ruined!"

"And you don't think mine isn't?" he asked.

"Well I think my reputation is a bit larger and more prevalent than yours, so excuse me if I don't see the similarity."

"What do I get out of it? For not telling? What'll you do for me?"

Vlad sighed. "You know Daniel, you're a lot smarter than you look."

"I know. Now, what are you going to do for me?" Danny hadn't really thought about Vlad for the past few days since he'd had other things on his mind, but now that he started thinking about it, he never would tell anyone, because he would be able to use it as blackmail at any moment.

After a few minutes silence, Vlad finally answered Danny's demand. "Alright, I promise to let you win the next battle."

"That's it?" Danny asked. "That's all you're willing to give me in return for my silence? That's not very good. You could just show up for some stupid reason and use that as the battle that you'll let me win. You'll have to do better than that. I mean, exposing you really has no effect on me, so there's really no reason not to expose you, and you know it, otherwise you wouldn't be calling. Now, how about you offer me something real."

"Okay fine," Vlad acquiesced as he continued to think about what he could give Danny in exchange for his silence. Finally he spoke up.

"Well, I've thought of a lot of different things I could offer you, none of which I know you'll accept. So, I've decided to offer you a free favor, to be used whenever you wish. If you ever need my assistance, I'm here to help, no matter what. Of course, I am not daft enough to assist you in trying to stop my own plan, but for anything else this offer stands. Is that acceptable?"

Danny thought about it. He didn't really think he could get much better than that. He didn't really know what kind of offer he expected or the one he was waiting to accept, but this one seemed pretty good.

"No matter what?" Danny asked.

"No matter what."

"So if I asked you to do my homework, you'd do it?"

"Yes."

"And if I asked you to get rid of a ghost that's causing me a lot of trouble, you'd do it?"

"As long as the other ghost isn't me, then yes."

Danny paused, thinking of all the different ways he could use Vlad's assistance. It would definitely be helpful, since he had to admit that Vlad was more powerful, more experienced, and stronger. He could probably find a time when he needed his assistance.

"Can I get it in writing?"

Vlad chuckled. "You don't trust me Daniel?"

"Frankly, no."

Vlad chuckled again. "Smart boy, I taught you well."

"You didn't teach me anything," Danny spit back. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you can't be trusted."

"Alright then, meet me in your lab and we'll seal this agreement with a Ghostly Vow."

"What's that?"

"Meet me in the lab in about two minutes and I'll tell you."

Danny heard the click that signaled that Vlad had hung up. He turned around and headed into the basement and stopped when he saw Vlad floating in front of the portal.

"Ah Daniel, glad you could join me."

"Start talking Plasmius," he threatened as he went ghost. "What's a Ghostly Vow?"

"It is an unbreakable vow between two ghosts that cannot be broken. If one breaks the oath, he will lose all his energy."

"He'll be dead?" Danny asked.

"Of course not my boy. Ghosts can't die, but they can be put close to it. See, when a Ghostly Vow is made, there is, a transition of power of sorts. A reflection of my power goes to you, and some of yours goes to me."

"What?" Danny exclaimed. He didn't like the sound of this. He didn't want Vlad's dark power.

"I think you misunderstand. You see, it never outwardly changes the ghosts involved. It's merely that the reflection of the power lies dormant within the ghost, and it cannot be tapped into or used by the ghost storing it. But, if the ghost breaks the vow, that energy awakens. In the betrayer, it consumes their energy until they're left with nothing, and in the betrayed, it transforms into usable power, making them stronger. That is why a Ghostly Vow is considered to be unbreakable, because the consequences are so severe."

Danny gulped, not sure he wanted to do this. If he messed up and let it spill that Vlad was Plasmius, then he would lose all his energy and wander around, almost dead.

"What would it do to a half ghost?"

"I do not know, but I assume it would still be unpleasant. It would either result in the same consequences as it would for a regular ghost or death. Either way, it would be unwise to break the oath, which is how you can tell that I am serious about this. I am quite willing to go through with this."

"I want the right to tell my parents at any time that you start being a jerk or there's no deal."

"What?" Vlad asked, outraged.

"You heard me. I want to be able to tell them or I go right outside and tell everyone you're a ghost right now. I'm sure there are some reporters outside my house or at least nearby."

Vlad looked deep in thought while Danny smiled. He knew that Vlad didn't want his parents to know, especially his mom, because of their hatred for the Wisconsin Ghost as they called him, especially after Danny told them about all the things he'd done to their poor son.

"I'm walking up the stairs," Danny teased as he slowly turned around and started walking, pushing Vlad to make up his mind quickly. That way he'd have less time to think about the consequences of his actions, and the less time Vlad spent thinking, the better.

"Wait!" Vlad cried.

"Vlad, all I'm asking for is the chance to be able to tell my parents about you if you decide to start doing something stupid."

"You mean you wish to use it as leverage over me."

"Pretty much. But it's that or I tell everyone right now, including my parents," Danny argued with a smirk.

"Alright," Vlad conceded, knowing he was cornered.

"So, how do we do this Ghostly Vow thing?"

"We hold each other's hand, state our names, speak our terms, and then we both say 'Agreed'."

"And then what?"

"And then the pact is sealed."

"How?"

"I don't know, I've only heard about it. I've never actually done it with another ghost or seen it for that matter. Now are you ready or not?"

"Yeah. Let's do this."

Danny headed over to Vlad and they stood across from each other, holding the other's hand in a grip.

"I, Vlad Masters/Plasmius, wish to enter a Ghostly Vow with Daniel Fenton/Phantom," Vlad stated as his hand started to glow dark pink. He gestured for Danny to repeat him.

"I, Daniel Fenton/Phantom, wish to enter a Ghostly Vow with Vlad Masters/Plasmius," he repeated as his hand started glowing green. Then Vlad indicated that he should state his terms. "I, Daniel Fenton/Phantom, will not tell anyone that Vlad Masters/Plasmius is a half-ghost, save for my parents." The glowing green expanded, encasing his entire body. Both he and Vlad looked surprised, having no idea as to what would happen.

"And in return, I, Vlad Masters/Plasmius, owe Daniel Fenton/Phantom one favor, to be used at any time and for any purpose save stopping my own plans." The glowing pink surrounded him as well.

"Agreed," Danny stated.

"Agreed."

The glow increased as the two of them were lifted off the ground. They both jerked their heads back as a bright orb of light emerged from their chests, one green, one dark pink. They floated in between the two of them and then inserted themselves into the other as a bright white light emanated from their hands, expanding through the room.

Danny felt his hand jerk away from Vlad's and he went flying across the room. He hit the wall and fell down, the white rings transforming him back to his human form.

A/N: So I know you were all looking forward to another day of school and I had every intention of putting it in, but like I said, it was getting way too long. But anywho, this was one of those necessary chapters that held a bridge and important parts to the plot. Hope you all enjoyed it and sorry again for the wait!