Chapter 11: Skeleton Key
(FentonWorks)
Outside, Masters leaned against the parked Specter Speeder as Danny walked down the steps to meet him. "You wanted to talk to me? "the older man asked.
"You're putting innocent people in danger, "Danny said as he placed his fists on his hips. He then pointed towards Vlad and added, "It stops now!"
"Really? Ha! "replied Vlad as if he didn't have a care in the world, "What I'm up to? Your tiny teen mind has pieced together the rest of my plot?"
"That you stole the ring, woke the Ghost King, gave it to Valerie to hide it, and now you're waiting for your chance to steal it back?"
Vlad smiled and said, "That's pretty good. It's almost as though I barely consider you a threat. "
Danny's eyes flared green and in response Vlad pretended to be shaking as he said, "Oh, there's that temper of yours again. What are you going to do? What if Valerie sees us, hmm? Or your S.M.I.L.E. agent aunt?"
Danny gritted his teeth and then sent a small ecto-blast to the over head light, causing the area they were standing to go dark.
"Oh, sugar cookie!"Vlad exclaimed just before Danny sent a larger blast to knock the older half-ghost through the ghost shield. Danny Fenton stepped through the ghost shield and then transformed into Phantom. He then punched Masters into the air and into a billboard sign.
"Sneak attack, "said Vlad as he transformed into Plasmius, "Very good, Daniel. You're getting more like me with every battle."
Danny flew up and yelled, "I am nothing like you!" The younger half ghost then flew in on the attack, with both them ending up once again at the football stadium.
From the ground Plasmius smirked and said as he got up, "Oh, you're not? Using your powers to get back at people you don't like? Throwing the first punch? You're more like me than you know. " The older half ghost then back handed the ghost boy across the field.
"Oh, yeah? Well, if that's the case, "growled Danny as he recovered and got back up. He looked at the sword that he landed next to and took hold of it, "Instead of asking you to give the ring back, I'll make you!"
"Daniel, no!"Vlad cried out in panic as he flew up, "The sword is a signal."
"Signal?"Danny asked as he pulled the sword out from the ground, "A signal of what?"
The ground then started shaking with a rumble as Vlad looked on in dismay. The dome above them began cracking and then shattered. Large shards of it fell like glass, forcing people all through the city to seek cover. Danny looked on in amazement as he watch the dome go down and saw instead of the normal night sky, he saw the green glow of the ghost zone and the millions of ghost doors floating instead of stars or clouds.
The skeleton army awoke, eyes gleaming red in their green skulls. The sword in Danny's hand shook and then flew off to land in the Fright Knights grasp. Above them the Knight on his Nightmare waited next to his lord and liege, Pariah Dark.
It was the Ghost King that answered Danny's question by saying, "Of surrender."
With one blast sent from his fists, the Ghost King knocked out the two before him and forced the two half-ghosts to transform back to their human forms. As he picked them both up in one large fist an announcement went out. On the AmityVision screen, Jessica could be seen with the Fenton lab in the background.
"People of Amity Park, this is Jessica Fenton and it appears that our entire town has been pulled into a dimension called the Ghost Zone."
(FentonWorks)
As Jessica gave her announcement, Mr. Grey was working at some computers and Tucker continued to feverishly work on the ecto-skeleton trying to figure out Jack's crazy schematics. "I'm launching the Ghost Zone probe now, "Damon Grey said as his daughter looked on, "I'm also increasing the ghost shield's radius to protect the city."
Outside as the shield expanded it pushed the skeleton army out as Jessica continued her announcement. "Please do not panic, "said , "and make your way to a location underneath the Fenton anti-ghost shield. There you will be safe from ghosts for the time being."
As this was going on, Valerie painfully made her way out of the lab and a short time later, the Red Huntress was seen flying off above the FentonWorks."
(Football Field)
"They're ghosts and humans!"the Ghost King said with some amusement. He then summoned an orb of energy with his free hand and said, "Is there no end to this day's surprises?"
Just as he was going to finish off the two anomalies a woman's voice rang out with a "Hey, Stone Face, surprise!" Then a wad of pink ecto goop landed on his face, getting into his eye. The pain forced him to drop Danny and Masters as he remove the goo from his eye. Valerie flew in for another attack but had to dodge the red energy blast that the Ghost King fired. Unfortunately, she dodged right into the metal field goal with a slam. Hurting even more, she moaned as she sat up and then saw the giant of a ghost wearing a horned hand and an eye patch hovering above her. She then activated her wrist missile, but when she fired it short circuited causing her to cry out in pain and forcing her to remove her gauntlet.
It was then that the Fright Knight saw the ring on the girl's hand and cried out, "The ring! Give that to the king now!"
The girl pulled out her ecto bazooka and a missile. She stuck the ring onto the missile as she stuffed it into the bazooka. "You want it? Then go get it!"she said as she fired the missile launching it and the ring deep into the Ghost Zone above. The Ghost King quickly flew off to follow and the distraction gave Valerie enough time to race over to her jet-sled, jump on and fly over to grab hold of the two still unconscious males. Barely dodging the Fright Knight's sword, she raced off with the Fright Knight chasing after her. He used his sword to send blasts at the escaping girl, who was able to dodge them until one blast hit her jet sled. "No!"she cried as she aimed for the ghost shield and was able to make a crash landing on the inside of it. The Fright Knight followed only to crash into the shield.
The Red Huntress slowly, painfully pulled herself up only to be startled by the Fright Knight's roar as he slammed his fist and sword onto the shield above just above her head. The Fright Knight swung his sword at the shield and every time it bounced back he said, "This…is…not…over!"
Valerie hobbled over and then dragged the two men to safety not seeing that Pariah Dark had returned. The Ghost King happily said, "Actually, my loyal servant, it is!" The Knight turned to see Dark reveal the Ring of Fire in the palm of his hand. Pariah Dark then slid the ring onto his finger and roared out in pain as the power of both the Crown of Fire already on his head and the Ring of Rage coursed through him. The pure dark power now radiating off of the King caused the Knight to fall to his knees and kneel over, hands and face to the ground in supplication.
The Ghost King then turned away and ordered, "Come, we have plans to make, for soon this human world will also be mine!" The King then walked away leaving behind flaming footprints in his path.
(Danny's Room)
The Red Huntress carefully flew on her damage jet sled into Danny's room via his open window with the unconscious boy and man in tow. She was able to drop the boy on his bed and the man onto a nearby chair before retracting her armor and jet sled. She then slid to the floor mumbling about needing to rest.
Masters woke up and noticed in dismay that the sleeping Valerie no longer wore the Ring of Rage. Hearing nearing footsteps, he went invisible just before a faint knock followed by the door opening. "Danny? You…,"his aunt said as she stepped in and then seeing Valerie's state said, "Damn it. Valerie?!"
The noise woke Danny up with a gasp as he looked around and noticed where he was. Vlad took that moment to phase through the bedroom floor.
(Downstairs)
"I'm starting to get worried, "said Sam as she watched Tucker work on the Ecto Skeleton.
"They're safe but she is hurt, "said Cole quietly as he walked down the stairs, "They are both upstairs in Danny's room."
Sam turned and knocked over some of tools the Tucker was working as she raced to and up the stairs. Cole tilted his head in confusion as Tucker just chuckled as he continued to work. The chuckling stopped with a 'Ouch!' when the tech geek got shocked.
(Upstairs)
"Danny, you're ok?"asked Sam as she entered the boy's room and then added when she saw Jessica checking the unconscious Valerie's injuries, "Whoa. What happened to her?"
"You name it…Fright Knight, Ghost King, Vlad, "answered a concerned Danny. He continued as he knelt down to help his aunt bandage up the girl, "Everything I thought I could handle but couldn't."
"Danny, don't blame yourself, "Jessica said, "This is not your fault."
"Maybe not, "replied Danny with a determined frown, "but it is my responsibility."
Danny, no.., "the older woman started to say as she stood but then stopped when her nephew changed into Phantom. Phantom sent her a look that brook no argument. Jessica sighed as she quickly reassessed their situation. "Fine, "she said not liking it one bit, "Just give me time to gear up as well. It's my job after all. Meet me downstairs and stay out of sight until I clear the lab."
Phantom nodded as he took hold of Sam's arm and phased them both through the floor."
(Lab)
"Just great, "muttered a suited up Agent Fenton seeing the Masons, Foleys and the Mayor in the lab. Mrs. Mason was yelling at Jazz demanding to know where the older Fentons were and what they were going to do about cleaning up 'Jack's mess.' The Foleys on the other hand were talking concernedly with their son who was trying to make some final adjustments to the suit. Agent Fenton rubbed her forehead sighed, "Excuse me, just what are you people doing down here?"
The other adults in the room turned to look at the strange woman and it was of course Mrs. Mason who spoke up, "Jessica Fenton,I presume, "said the well dressed socialite as if the name Fenton was just short of being a cuss word, "Just who do you think you are…"
"Oh I don't have time for this, "said the dark haired woman looking up as if asking for help and surprisingly help did come in the form of Cole. Cole appeared behind the parents, lifted his right hand and said, "Forget…Sleep." Jessica could barely make out the glow in her friend's eyes as everyone else in the room, including Jazz, gently laid down on the floor and started snoring.
"Sweet Jedi trick, Dude," asked Tucker as he closed up the last panel on the suit.
Cole smiled as he tilted his head and said, "The force is weak in this one but it is strong enough to be useful."
"Thanks, "Jessica said to Cole before turning to Tucker, "Is that thing done? "
"Sorta, "said Tucker trying to wipe off some dirt off his face only to make a greasy smear, "The calibration still needs to be finished, but we just don't have time and it's too dangerous to use until we do."
"No choice, I'll have…"
"Sleep, "said Cole, his eyes flashing as he stared at the agent.
"You son…"Jessica said as she fought the command and lost. In moments she joined the other adults on the floor sleeping.
It was then Danny and Sam became visible, floating close to the ceiling. "I thought I was gonna have to blast everybody with the ghost ray,"said Phantom, "but this is much efficient. Thanks Cole."
"What? Danny, no, "Sam said just now figuring out what her friend planned to do, "You can't! "
"I'm the only one who has a chance to save our lives, "said Danny as he and Sam landed and Tucker walked over to them.
"Someone better tell her that, "said Tucker pointing towards the Ecto Skeleton and the Red Huntress who had hold of the Mayor as if to see if he was still breathing.
"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from the suit, "Phantom ordered.
Valerie stood up and sneered, "Back off, spook. I don't know how you got in the Fenton's ghost shield, but this is my fight. "
"No, "replied Danny as he floated up and towards the girl, "it's not. Not anymore."
At that moment, Cole stepped back and vanished as Mr. Grey walked in carrying an armload of tools and parts. Which he dropped with a "Hey!" seeing all the apparently unconscious people demanded, "What's going on in here?"
Sam and Tucker took that moment of distraction to sneak out and up the stairs as the argument between Phantom and the Huntress continued as she glared and pointed at Danny saying, "You're not the boss of me!"
Which Danny replied by simply reaching out, grabbing hold of the Red Huntress' mask and pulling it off. The girl screamed as Phantom smirked and said, "No, but he is."
"Valerie?"A shocked Damon Grey asked.
The girl screamed again and pulled out a set of missile launchers as she yelled, "You're dead for this, you hear me?! DEAD!" Danny just stood there, arms cross and a smile on his face as the girl growled. Her father took hold of her and held her tight as she snarled in anger, struggling against her father's hold.
Danny then took hold of the Ecto Skeleton and flew off, phasing through the ceiling with it in tow.
(Roof)
Danny placed the suit on top of the Fenton Opts center and opened the cockpit. He then transformed back to Danny Fenton before sliding in. The cover closed with a slam and he looked over the controls. He then nervously took old of the yoke and ordered, "Activate neural receptors. " The wide, flat cord sprang up out of the seat and grabbed onto his back. Danny then said just before pulling back some on the yoke, "Initiate power-up sequence." He watched as the indicators lit up and then did a few test sequences to make sure all the controls were functioning. "Yeah,"he said with a smile, "There we go. I can see you over there you know?"
The door leading to the roof opened up to let Sam and Tucker out. "Danny, please, "pleaded Sam.
"Come on, guys, "said Danny looking down at them, "You didn't think it was always gonna be as easy as shoving the Box Ghost into the Fenton Thermos, did you? I'll be back."
"But that thing could be fatal, "said Tucker worriedly.
"He will not have to fight alone, "said Cole appearing next to him, his swords glowing ominously from their sheaths, "I'll wake Jessica and we will follow."
"How could you let him do this!?" demanded Sam, "He's just a kid!"
Cole shook his head sadly, "He stopped being 'just' anything the day he came out of the portal. He might have remained a 'kid' if he was able to stand aside and let others fight the ghosts that came through. He has grown and is still growing into something different. I understand the Need. He Needs to do this. He Needs to protect people. It's a part of him. Denying him this would cause him great pain. All I can do is help."
Tucker and Sam went silent and sadly looked away from the pair: one a human boy that became half ghost and the other a spirit that became half human. Danny sadly smiled and had the suit kneel down as he said, "Guys I'll be back, but if there's anything you wanted to say to me, now might be an excellent time to do it."
Sam look up and appeared as if she was struggling to say something when a loud thunderclap interrupted the conversation and all of them looked up to see a writhing blood red storm clouds. The face the Ghost King appeared in the clouds and Pariah called out, "Humans, hear my decree! "
"Well, that's my cue, "said Danny standing up, "Cole go wake up my aunt. Tuck, I'll need you to drop the ghost shield on my way out, ok?"
Cole simply vanished as Tucker replied before heading to the stairs, "Ok. Be careful, dude."
Sam looked at Danny quietly for a moment as if trying to tell him how she felt through her eyes. Danny gave her an encouraging smile just before she turned to leave as well.
Danny closed his eyes and took a deep breath before transforming into Phantom. He then sent his ghostly energy through the suit so that it also transformed. Where there was a plan metal suit with just the flaming F Fenton logo on it, now stood a black suit with white hands and lower legs along with some ghostly green trim. On the suits chest panel Phantom's own flying DP logo could now be seen.
To be continued…