Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom.
Warning: This story contains reference to rape, sexual content, male sex and pedophilia. If any of this disturbs you, please do not read.
Chapter 14: War
I balanced my regular phone on my shoulder while I held onto my team phone. Forming ectoplasm around my hands, I designed the ultimate phone holder. I made it so that the ectoplasm made like a belt around my waist and came up to sit directly behind my back. I put the phones just parallel with my neck so that I could be heard but not close enough that they could hear my grunts. Hopefully, I won't be screaming any time soon. I formed a table to sit on top of the pole and below the phones.
I formed a band around my phones and a shield around the entire table so they would have protection. When I finished that, I felt the ghost. "I didn't even have to go to the school to find you," a voice declared. I turned around, knowing exactly who I was facing.
"Ember," I said, surprised. "Don't you usually stay away?"
"I have a concert coming up, dipstick. I wanted to be prepared," she replied.
"A concert," I asked. "Why are you playing a concert?"
"What," she laughed. "I always enjoy a good crowd."
"Then why are you telling me," I asked.
"What is that thing behind you," Ember asked. "It's hideous."
"I'm kind of busy," I replied. "Any chance we can reschedule?"
"And chance you crashing my concert," she scoffed. "No thank you."
"I'm going to crash that anyway," I said, raising my eyebrows.
"Radar, what is going on? Who is that?"
"Who's your friend," Ember asked me.
"Do you have me on speaker," Samuels asked. "I don't hear an echo?"
"Give me a minute, Samuels. I've got something to do right now."
"Give it up, baby pop," she teased. "Cause you can't stop the music!"
"Oh, please," I scoffed. "Is that the best you got? Cause I could come up with a million music puns better than that."
"Well, the same hack that wrote my songs still writes my insults," she taunted.
"Apparently," I said, shaking my head. I blasted off towards her, planning on meeting her head on. She counteracted by strumming her guitar at me, sending me back. I grunted softly, phasing through the ground. I came up behind her, tackling her to the ground. Ember became intangible, allowing me to fall through her. I turned around, looking up at her as I floated on my back.
"Why must we do this every time," she groaned. "You can't just beat me. You have to add insult to injury."
"Believe me, if anyone has insult added to injury, it's me," I retorted. "I'm the one who has to do this day in and day out."
"No one makes you conquer this town," she scoffed. "You could leave things be but you chose to be a conquering-," she began.
"Don't," I retorted. "Samuels, Julie, I'm going to put you on mute. Bye!"
"Radar, don't you dare," Samuels retorted but I switched the phones on mute, making nothing I say transfer to him. "Radar, unmute this phone this instant."
"Why don't you let the humans hear our conversation," she asked me.
"One, they don't know ghosts are exposed. Two, they don't know I'm a ghost. Three, I just don't want to. Now, let's fight!"
"Why don't you just suck me in the thermos and spare me the humility," she replied.
"Why do you think that I won't attack your concert just because we fight today," I asked.
"Because I wasn't planning on telling you about the concert," she scoffed. "You asked me and I thought it. I can't just leave or I would have already."
"You thought that," I said, surprised. "I thought you said it aloud."
"Nope," she smacked her lips. "You're a borderline mind controller," she replied. "You are not supposed to have that power but because you were taught by someone who does and you're a fast learner, you will pass that power down to your next generation."
"My children will have the ability to read minds," I declared in shock.
"Probably not your children," she replied. "Your grandchildren or great grandchildren, maybe. It's not set in stone. It may not surface; that's a possibility."
"Well, you're wrong about one thing," I replied. "I did ask if we could reschedule this."
"True," she nodded. "I guess I'll see you if you locate my concert."
"Where is it," I asked her, cocking a grin.
"Blah, blah, blah. I can't hear you," she said. However, I could make out some shape in my mind. I wasn't a basic thought reader so I couldn't hear the automatic response. I could only make out what she saw when I asked that question. I'd have to go on that information alone. "See ya, dipstick!"
"See ya, pop princess," I smirked. She transported out using her flames. I flipped the phones off mute. "Samuels, Julie. Are you still there?"
"Yes, sir," Julie replied at the same time as Samuels, "Radar, I should skin you alive for that! Who was that woman and what was she saying that was so bad that I couldn't hear?"
"She was just a pain," I replied. "Julie, did you get that Battalion number?"
"Yes, sir," she replied. She read out the numbers while I formed them in Ectoplasm.
I read the numbers to Samuels, "Can you take care of that?"
"Sure," he sighed. "But are you going to tell me what is going off? I swore I heard you gasp."
"I'm fine," I replied. I really was fine. This turned out to be not so bad. It certainly could have turned out worse.
"Okay," Samuels sighed, resigning. "I'll call this battalion and take care of the problem but you're dealing with your mother. I'm her boss but you are her son. There are certain people you just can't double-cross."
"I know," I sighed, "but she acted on emotion and not reason."
"Are you sure you're not doing the same," Samuels asked me.
"Hold that thought," I said. "I'm sorry, Julie. That will be all."
"Oh," she replied. "Have a good afternoon, Radar."
"You too," I replied, hanging up my regular phone. "It's not like my parents won't know what I did anyway. They've been recording my communications."
"What," Samuels declared. "Why?"
"They didn't trust me," I replied. "I'd been missing curfew and my grades plummeted so they were trying to make sure I wasn't associating with any bad crowds."
"What was happening," he asked.
"I have some stuff going on down here that few know about," I replied. "I've just been swamped as of late."
"You shouldn't let anything get in the way of your studies," he answered. "We wouldn't be in this mess if you had."
"Oh, we'd be in this mess," I replied. "There was no way around it. Thank you, Samuels. Goodbye."
"Bye," Samuels sighed. I hung up the phone, retrieving it from my creation and dissolved it away. I looked to my watch and it read a quarter until eleven. That would give the Guardsmen plenty of time to clear out.
O_O
By the time Dr. Reynolds had arrived, the Marines had cleared out. She took me inside and started up the machines. She took my blood pressure and asked me a million questions. I didn't complain thought because I was worried. I was under so much stress and I am still under physical stress. I don't care how tough you are; no one five months along should be involved in as much heavy labor as I am. She measured my waist but instead of growing concerned, she was happy.
"Danny, you are perfectly normal and this is the first time I can say that," she replied. "Your stress levels have gone down, you're increasing your intake of food, getting more rest. There is nothing wrong with you. I am very impressed."
"But why did I gain so much weight," I asked.
"I'd say it has something to do with your powers," she replied. "With your food consumption up, your body is allowing all the food to nurture you but your powers are probably doing the same thing. Meaning you are getting double proportions. It's been two or three weeks since you began eating more so you've gained all that plus. Also, your baby is growing and filling up that uterus." She turned on the ultrasound, "Let's have a look."
She took a peek at Lilly but she still saw no cause for concern. I don't know if I'm buying this theory of hers but I know I'm going to keep my eyes open. "Well, thanks for coming out. I'll have your clinic up and running again soon," I explained. "Samuels has already seized the clinic."
"For us or for him," Dr. Reynolds asked.
"For me," I replied. "But I'll be handing you the ownership papers. You'll no longer be owned by the town of Amity Park."
"I still won't be calling the police," she said. "These kids would go to a regular hospital or another free clinic if they weren't worried about the authorities being involved. Think of you! You would have never sought out help if we didn't operate the way we do. What would you have done in your pregnancy? What we do is important? We'll keep asking those who do come in under mysterious circumstances to seek help from the authorities but we'll never call them ourselves. At least those people have a safe place to run too."
"That's what I think," I smiled. "Well, I'd better get back to school. I'll see you later."
"All right," she replied. "Call me anytime; day or night!"
"Thank you," I smiled brighter. I transformed and flew back to school.
O_O
That afternoon when I made it home, I got an earful from Mom. She did listen in when I called Julie but she wasn't fast enough to stop Gayle from giving Julie the information I wanted. She praised me for keeping the secret from Samuels but she was too confused about what Ember was trying to say. Afterwards, we went to the castle. We ordered lunch before we started working.
The record keeper came in later, wishing to speak to me. I stood up and excused myself. "Sire, it has come to my attention that you have been seeking outside doctors for your pregnancy. We have a fully operational hospital here."
"You do," I said, surprised.
"Of course, sire," he replied. "If you'd like, I could have your medical files transferred over here so you could be seen in your own haunt. That way when you go into labor, you will know all the people and you will have the comforts of home."
"The hospital outlaws humans," I began. "Would my hospital do the same?"
"You'd have to ask yourself that question, sire. You are the King after all."
"You mean High King," I corrected him.
"No, sire," he replied. "The Tantamount King is no longer a title used. You would have to personally accept him back into the castle."
"Why," I asked, surprised.
"You banished him," he answered. "Three weeks ago."
"I did no such thing," I denied. "I don't know how to do such a thing!"
"Sire, it's not that hard," he replied, a little startled. "That day, you screamed at him to leave. You were in your haunt so you banished him."
"Vlad has not been here since the King," I declared. "How could I tell him to leave if he's never been to Pariah's Keep?"
"That's Phantom's Keep," he replied. "And you weren't in Phantom's Keep. You were in your Earthly haunt."
"You mean when we first broke up," I declared in shock. "When I erased my family's memories about what happened. I screamed at him to leave."
"You were in your haunt, sire, so that means you banished him," the record keeper replied. "If he shows up here unannounced, we will strike."
"Don't attack him," I replied. "He is the father of my baby and sometimes I love him and sometimes I hate him. I don't want him hurt."
"As you wish," he said, bowing. "I will get into contact with the hospital. Good day sir."
O_O
We went on patrol that night and everything was pretty normal. I couldn't find any signs of a concert going on so I was satisfied that the concert wasn't tonight. Afterwards, I sucked up my courage and my pride and went to Elemerton. Strangely, Vlad wasn't there.
"Well, this was a waste of time," I said aloud, heading back upstairs from Vlad's office. I went into what was to be our daughter's bedroom to find the walls painted a rosy pink. Tears came to my eyes as I took in everything surrounding me. The entire room had a transformation from boy-themed to girl-themed. I opened the closet and every piece of clothing in that room was for a baby girl, all the way up to six months. "Oh, Vlad," I whispered, tears of joy leaking down my face. He did accept her for who she was.
I sat down in the recliner, picking up a stuffed teddy bear in a tutu on the book shelf. I clutched it to my chest as I started glancing down the books. There was an entire series of books that all began with 'What To Expect'. I picked up the first one in the series: 'What to Expect When You're Expecting.' I started flipping through the book, seeing a book full of vast knowledge. I stopped on the chapter that showed my developmental stage: five months. I was surprised to see all the things my daughter could do at twenty-two weeks. She could even see the light of a flashlight if I shined it on my abdomen.
I flipped to the sixth month since that's the stage I'd be entering next week.
…
I laughed out loud as I read the last line on week 23. It said by my eighth month, there would be no more see through baby. Not with my child. She can go see through and pass through solid objects on a whim. I read on.
…
Oh, my goodness, I thought as I read week 24. Because my daughter has no pigmentation, her hair would be snowy white just like in ghost form. That's amazing. I decided to skip the development charts and went to flip the page. However, I couldn't stop to look at the adorable illustration of a baby in the top-middle of the page. It was so human like. Nothing like what we see as a fetus. I had to remind myself that that baby had gestated for six months.
I looked at the illustration on the page and gasped. They had the abdomen of a pregnant woman with the fetus in view. The fetus was so tiny compared to a human but it was huge considering where it was. I'm going to have to deliver that! I didn't even want to think about that. I can't take anything touching my sensitive area and that has to be where she'll come from. How am I going to manage that? My eyes glanced over a bulletin list: What You May Be Feeling.
Five out of eleven items I had but I couldn't say about one of them. It said I should feel Lilly move more and be able to tell it was the baby. I know I can feel Lilly but my senses are so heightened that I can pick up the slightest move… and she moves a lot. I don't know what I would be feeling if this were a normal pregnancy. I just wonder why I feel all these things. It can't all be Lilly's fault.
The picture had a caption below it so I read it. It said my uterus will grow to the size of a basketball this month. Holy cow! Suddenly, I got very nauseas.
On the second page, I saw another seven items I had missed. I had nearly none of them and if the enlarged breasts they were talking about was bigger than last month, I guess I didn't have that one either. I had to remind myself that I was still a week away from beginning this step. Those symptoms may be what I have to look forward to. On the other side of the page, it listed five items that I may be feeling emotionally. I had three of the five items. The one thing that scared me was the thought of being absentminded. What exactly are they talking about? Am I going to get a ghost sense and then forget about it or am I just going to forget my phone a lot?
It went on to explain what I should expect from my checkup next month and started answering some questions. The mother asked about insomnia and the author gave some tips on the next page and into the one after that. At the very bottom of the page on the left hand side was a caption. It suggested making a capsule to show your baby a glimpse of the past. I mulled that over, wondering if it was a good idea. Right now, the future isn't looking so good. Would this be a reminder of bad times or a shining light through the darkness?
I read through all the other topics but found nothing I was particularly interested in. Joining a pregnancy class? As if! I couldn't imagine the humility that would come from that. However, I did get one question answered. Reading one of the captions was like listening to Dr. Reynolds. When I went to the clinic this morning, what I was concerned about even though I had no idea it existed was preeclampsia. High blood pressure during pregnancy in other words. I have no doubt if I went to a hospital (and was a woman) I would be diagnosed with that. My blood pressure is twice as high as a normal person and that would probably send a doctor into fits.
I placed the book back on the shelf and stood up, careful to do so slowly. Once I was to my feet, I walked to the kitchen to fix my second lunch. I ate so much that sometimes I think I may blow up but I know it's for the baby. I may prefer to avoid the discomfort eating tasteless food but I know my daughter suffers for it. I will always make sure my daughter is content.
O_O
As I was eating the phone rang. I stood up slowly and walked to the living room, answering.
"May I speak to a Vlad Masters," the man on the phone asked.
"He's not here," I replied. I pulled over a notebook, "May I take a message."
"Yes," he replied. "Mike Biggens with New Home Contractors." He told me his phone number, adding, "I'm ready for his evaluation."
"Okay," I said slowly as I started to process that. He hung up but I remained on the line a bit longer. Vlad was constructing a new home? Why would he do that? He was ready to move us to the island but I thought he was happy here in Elemerton. Why would he leave us?
Why wouldn't he, I belittled myself. I've done nothing but give him trouble in the last three weeks. Why would he put up with my crap? He's done with me and now he's planning on moving on. What about Lilly, though? Would he give up on her or would he try to take her? Would he demand equal time? Would he take this to court? I slowly walked back to the kitchen, finishing my food. I can never taste it anyway so I just mindlessly ate. Finally, I did the dishes and went into our bedroom.
The only thing that is keeping us apart is my uncertainty. Sure, he threatened Jazz last weekend but we pushed him first. I don't like that he was creating a super weapon but that could easily be explained because of Invincible. Oh, my God, Invincible! I haven't done anything with him yet. Since I stayed the night at HQ, I haven't returned the ghosts to the Ghost Zone yet so he should still be in there. I need to decide what I'm going to do with him.
I looked around our room again, this time smiling. I was happy with Vlad before and Lilly needs both parents. Vlad really was trying but how could I expect him to succeed? Every time I broke up with him, I was telling him he couldn't! He hasn't done anything unforgivable. After I give him a stern talking to, I'd go back to him… this time for good.
O_O
I went home after waiting there for nearly an hour. Vlad still hadn't come back and I realized that he may be on a business trip somewhere. I found Mom waiting in my room when I came in. I hadn't come home at all because I wanted to go see Vlad so I was still in my day clothes. Thank goodness, too, because lately when I do go out (and that's every night), I transform in my pajamas. "Hey, Mom."
"You usually come in before you start your late night patrol," Mom said, standing up. She had a look of surprise on her face. I know she had to be thinking she was in for a late night.
"I had something I had to do after I dropped Tucker off," I replied. It was late, true, but I came in through the front door. I found it strange that no one had met me at the door.
"You mean you had to catch a ghost," Mom said. "Was it this Invincible guy?"
"I actually wanted to talk to you about that," I replied. "He attacked me over the weekend and we caught him. I don't know what to do with him—."
"You caught him," Mom declared. "Give him here. I'd love to see how much pain I could inflict on him!"
"Oh, Mom," I groaned. "I don't want him to be tortured I just know I can't return him to the Ghost Zone. I may come to regret it."
"Danny, I normally don't torture life forms that exist before I get my hands on them but this bastard has it coming to him. He has hurt you too much. He's going to visit Momma Bear for a while."
"But you won't kill him," I asked. I wanted to add 'or tear him apart molecule by molecule' but I was afraid it might make her suspicious. No one deserves that.
"No, sweetie," Mom said softly. "Though I want to. I will keep him under lock and key and he won't hurt you again."
"Okay," I replied. "I have three days' worth of ghosts in this thermos. It's quite full."
"Okay," Mom said. "Let's go to the lab."
O_O
Mom had this huge cube that was in a part of the house that I had never seen. We were on a platform but we were in clear view of the cube. The cube was actually made up of these huge slabs of glass in the shapes of squares. The slabs were about three feet tall and three feet long. In the center, the cube was vacant of these squares but it had a bubble top, rising above the square slabs. I handed her the thermos, waiting to see what would happen.
Almost all of the squares had a ghost in it once Mom emptied the thermos. The same thing I use to empty the thermos in the portal, Mom had on the platform. However, the shoot down here had a keypad. "Do you see Invincible," Mom asked.
"Yeah," I replied. "How do we get him out?"
"Do you see the number that corresponds to his square," Mom asked.
"B-six," I replied.
Mom typed in B six in the key pad and Invincible was shot into the bubble-top cube. I blinked a few times as I came to realization. "Man, you guys are good."
"I was thinking the same thing," Mom remarked. "You caught all these ghosts in two or three days?"
"I caught Invincible towards the end of Saturday's patrol," I replied. "I'm dying to know. What's with the numbers?"
"There's A and there's B," Mom replied. "Each letter is accompanied with up to one hundred numbers. The first ghost you capture goes to A-one. The last ghost you can capture before the thermos overloads is B-one-hundred. Once the slots are full, they begin to accumulate in the center of the thermos, the soup part. I don't know how many that can hold. I never imagined I'd ever see that many ghosts."
"Oh, I've seen more," I replied. The night that Invincible attacked me with the fifteen hundred ghosts, I caught tons of them. I remember that I kept changing the thermoses because I didn't know how many they could take. I was fighting blind.
"You've seen more than… oh, my God," Mom replied.
"What," I asked.
"There are nearly four hundred ghosts down there!"
"I catch nearly two hundred a night," I replied. "Are you sure there's not more than four hundred?"
"No, there's only three hundred and eighty-eight."
"Sam and Tucker," I declared. "They have thermoses!"
"You mean there's more," Mom cried.
"Yeah," I replied. "Is there a way to get them back in the thermos or am I going to have to recapture them."
"I'll release them when I'm done with my research," Mom replied.
"Mom," I said, a little startled. "You can't experiment on them. Some of those ghosts don't mean any harm!"
"And I don't mean any harm," Mom replied. "I'll work overtime to finish up earlier. Or better yet, I'll release all but a handful of them if you promise me I can study them before you release them again."
"Can I pick which ones you study first," I replied.
"Why," Mom asked.
"Well," I began, "Some ghosts are ones that only come out every so often and some I've never seen before. I want to make sure you have the right ghost to study."
"So I won't miss an opportunity," Mom smiled. I smiled back at her—completely fake. I would be removing those ghosts because I have no idea what they're like. She'll only have access to the ones I completely understand and trust. "Okay, baby. I can study eight at a time and so can your father. The tests last forty-five minutes so I can perform one hundred and ninety-two tests in a day. So chose a hundred and ninety-two ghosts for me."
"How can you preform eight tests at once," I cried. "What are you, an octopus?"
"What," Mom laughed. "I have eight machines."
"But you don't have eight arms… or eight yous. How can you do that many tests at once?"
"I don't need eight of myself," Mom replied. "All I have to do is hook up the machine and it does the rest for me. I just sit back and watch the results. Add a little encouragement every once and a while."
A robotic vivisection, I shivered. No wonder they can separate themselves. They don't have to do it themselves. "I don't know," I said, getting nervous. "Mom, I don't want any of these ghosts hurt."
"Honey," Mom said softly. "They won't feel a bit of pain. Even if they could!"
"How about I give you two ghosts and I get an opinion questionnaire afterwards," I replied. "Then I'll lay out two hundred ghosts for you to experiment on."
"Fine," Mom replied, "If it'll make you happy."
Now, which two ghosts do I give to her? I walked down the platform, walking by all the ghosts. I stopped at one. He was a nighttime ghost and has caused a lot of pain and suffering for my town. "A-ninety-five," I called up to Mom. She punched something on the keypad and I was surprised when Invincible disappeared from the center and the other ghost appeared. "What happened?"
"I sent Invincible to my lab," Mom replied. "The same thing will happen to him as soon as you select the last one."
"Okay," I sighed. At least he wasn't out. I continued my evaluation. Finally, I came across another one. This ghost had tried to assault a woman one night and I gave him an extra helping of my fist. "C-fifteen."
The last ghost disappeared the same way Invincible had and the new one took his place. Within an instant, Mom had him too shipped off to God knows where. Mom turned her back to the keyboard, grabbing something from behind her. I started to climb to the top again when I noticed a quarter of the ghosts disappeared. I finished running up the stairs.
"Now what happened," I cried, looking over the platform.
Mom handed me three circular discs. "They're in here," Mom replied.
"What's this," I asked, looking at them. I finally noticed what it was when I flipped the top towards me. "This is what's in the bottom of the thermos!"
"You learned how to open it," Mom smiled.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "Let's go with that!"
Mom looked at me funny but considering she thought it was impossible to break the thermoses, she continued. "You know how to empty them into the thermos shoot, right?"
"Not really," I replied. "I just empty it by putting the thermos in the opening."
"I'll show you," Mom replied. I stepped onto the elevator that was directly in front of the keypad. "Return to Lab!" We rose back into the lab, passing through the door I never saw in the floor. I knew we had secret compartments under the lab (the medical tent is stored under there and Dad keeps his torture equipment down there like the Fenton Stockades) but I had never noticed the rectangle-shaped door near the workstation. I always thought this part of the lab was empty. I wonder where else they have secret compartments.
"Okay," I said, walking over to the thermos. "How do I do this?"
Mom took one of the discs and pointed it to a small little slot on the thermos shoot. "Slip it right in there just like a CD. It'll even spin like a CD as it releases the ghost."
I put one of mine in the cavity of the hole and pushed it inside. I could hear the tiny mechanics of the machine working as it expelled the ghosts. After a few moments, it ejected. I put the last one I had in there. When that one ejected, I asked for the one Mom had. I slipped it in after she reluctantly handed it to me. It expelled them and ejected just the same as the others had.
"Thanks," I replied. "After I'm sure what you're doing to them is humane, I'll let you experiment on more. I just don't feel comfortable doing that to anything. Even a ghost."
"I'm glad you're concerned about others wellbeing," Mom said, pulling me close. I looked up at her. "Everything deserves to live, Danny. Sometimes, ghosts do bad things, but that doesn't mean there's not a side to their story. Even the most evil ghost out there has a reason for doing what he's doing and he believes in that as much as you believe in what you're doing."
"You're talking about Phantom, aren't you," I asked, grimacing.
"While I think he's an evil creature, I don't think he's the worse the Ghost Zone has to offer," Mom sighed. "I just think he could become it if he keeps feeding the way he is."
"Goodnight, Mom," I said, sighing. Everyone has a right to their own opinion but it hurts to hear your mother believe you're not doing the right thing.
O_O
The next morning, I picked up Sam and Tucker and went about my business. I tried to stay out of everyone's way but I kept getting the glares. I know they'll pass soon but until they do, I'm going to be miserable. With the attention I got at the end of the last two weeks, I just can't seem to catch a break. It's really hard to let the wind roll off your back when you're a turbine.
First period was hell. Second period was bumpy. Third period was hell. Fourth period was bumpy. Fifth period was hell because we were separated and not because of the teacher. Sixth and seventh periods were double hell (double Tetslaff). Eighth period was the same as fifth—hell because we were separated just on a less scale for Sam and Tucker since they were together. Needless to say, I was ready to go home.
"Why does life hate us," I sighed as we flew home invisibly.
"I don't know," Tucker sighed, "but I'm getting tired of this."
"Every teacher in this school has it out for us," Sam retorted.
"Not every teacher," I smiled softly. They couldn't see it but I knew they would know that I found a little peace in this war.
"Yeah," Tucker retorted. "Who?"
"Mr. Lancer," I replied, surprised they haven't seen it. He's the only one who has tried to spare us the problems.
"He's the worst offender," Sam declared. "That entire class was giving us dirty looks but he kept teaching and assigning work!"
"That was the gift," I replied. "He was trying to keep the tension off us. Fuluka and Tetslaff sat back and allowed the students to put the heat on us." The other two classes we had separately so we never discussed them. It wouldn't matter what happened in that class. As long as we were apart, it was hell.
"Still," Tucker sighed, "I'm getting fed up with this. It seems that entire school has declared war on us."
"They have," I replied, throwing my arms out. Once again, they couldn't see it but I could care less; they got the point. "What is the one thing that people fear most?"
"Ghosts," Tucker replied, more as a question.
"No," I retorted. "I meant change. People like things that are normal. They have a perceived image of the world and when something changes about that image, they get uncomfortable. When humans get uncomfortable, they get defensive. That's why they're declaring war on us. We've changed the rules and they don't like it."
"You mean because we're standing up for ourselves and actually proving that we can take them, they're even more angry with us," Sam replied. "It makes sense."
"It makes absolutely no sense," Tucker retorted. "We never said we were wimps!"
"It was implied," I replied. "We're toned like most other ghost hunters," I explained. "Because we've always stood out from the crowd, we were associated with 'them' and 'they' aren't strong."
"It's still ridiculous," Tucker replied. I touched down in my alley, transforming. Sam and Tucker followed suit.
"I never said it was rational," I replied, walking out of the alley.
"I just don't know what we're going to do," Sam replied. "Do we change their perception of us or do we pretend to be who they perceive us as?"
"I haven't figured that out yet," I sighed. "I want to remain low key but with the way I am now, I don't think that'll be possible."
"What way is that," Tucker asked as we started to climb the steps.
"The best way I can explain it is spent," I replied. "I've had all I can take with absorbing the crap. I can't have that much stress, I need to decide what's important and what's not and I can't keep taking all the shit I've took in the past few months."
"What's with the change," Sam asked me, cocking her head. We started up the stairs for my room.
"The therapist," I replied. "She's made me realize that while I need to remain dedicated, I also have to know when to draw the line. More harm than good can come from spending myself in one place."
"About time you realize that," Sam replied.
"That doesn't mean that I won't push myself to the limit when the occasion calls for it," I added. "If the King happened today instead of two months ago, I would still give it my all."
"Has it really been two months," Tucker asked in shock.
"Yeah," I replied. "I think. Today's the twenty-sixth, right?"
Tucker pulled out his PDA and I inwardly chuckled. If we were held at gunpoint and demanded to tell him the day of the week, he'd just have to shoot us. "Yeah."
"Plasmius released him on the last day of February," I replied. "It'll be two months… Thursday."
"My goodness," Sam sighed. "How long has it been since Dan?"
"Thirty-one days," I answered. "Exactly one month." I've had him on my mind all day and that's what's kept me from attacking those students when I'd been pushed to the limit.
"Oh, my God," Sam declared. "It has been one month, hasn't it."
"Yep," I sighed. "I took the make-up test two weeks ago."
"It just seems unreal," Tucker replied. "Days run together. Weeks runs together. I just can't keep track of time anymore."
"Why even try," I replied. "Time will always win. I haven't seen anyone who has defeated time."
"All you need to do is look in the mirror," Sam replied. "You beat that Clockwork guy."
"Yeah, right," I retorted. "Clockwork just made me beat myself—literally! He positioned me so that I would flee into the future so I could destroy that timeline myself."
"I'll accept that," Tucker replied. "He was too lazy to do something himself so he made you see what was in store. It was probably the only good thing that happened that day."
I would disagree with that but I wouldn't tell them that. The best thing that happened that day was Clockwork setting back time. They don't have to know what it's like to nearly die. I've been there and I know it's not something you want to experience twice. I will—at least. Hell, I may have already experienced that more than twice.
"Are you okay," Sam asked me softly.
"It's just this day," I sighed. "I keep going over everything in my head. I keep reliving it."
"Well, don't," Sam said softly. "You defeated Dan and there's nothing you have to worry about now. We're not going anywhere."
"God, I hope not," I said, fighting back the tears. "I'm scared to death as it is."
"Why," Tucker asked me, confused.
"My dream is approaching," I replied. "It could happen anytime starting in May. I still don't know how I'm going to protect you guys."
"We've told you," Sam cut in. "If we were half ghost, we could protect ourselves."
"And if you're half ghost and it doesn't work, you're dead," I replied. "I keep going over your plan in my head before bed but I still haven't had the dream to tell me how it works out. I've got half a mind to just try it when it happens but it's got me so nervous every time I come to that conclusion. I don't want to die just to prevent you guys from becoming half ghost!"
"We don't want that either," Tucker replied. "You just have to trust us."
"Trust you I do," I replied. "Trust myself or the one who affects you I don't."
"Do you know who affects us," Sam declared.
"Yeah," I replied. "I've dreamed that thing three or four times but I still can't figure out what that illness is or how he gets it. If I could prevent him from getting sick, then I could prevent the dream but at the moment, I don't know what was making him sick!"
"Did it have any symptoms," Sam asked.
"Weakness, slow heart rate, unbearable pain," I listed some of the symptoms. I couldn't remember all of them because I was only watching Sam and Tucker experiencing it and I experiencing it twice. I've had the dream three times. "I wasn't there for the entire illness for some reason with the original dream and the other two dreams I was either in too much pain or had lost the will to live to pay attention."
"What," Sam and Tucker said, their voices soft. They were shocked but the shock was too great to react the way they had wanted to.
"The last dream I had," I replied. "It was eating at me so fast that I just didn't have the will to live. I stopped breathing the minute it struck me and it burned through my reserves in an hour."
"Reserves," Sam asked, confused.
"Do you know more than us," Tucker asked, surprised.
"Did I not tell you guys what I learned about my powers from Vlad," I asked. Upon their looks, I knew I hadn't. "I'm sorry. When I first got back from that week, the last thing I wanted to do was talk about it. I guess now that it's become easier to talk about it, I just don't know what I haven't told you."
"It's easy," Sam said, crossing her arms over the computer chair's back. "Nothing!"
"Next to nothing," I corrected her with a small smile. "Vlad says we have a collected amount of everything that we survive on when we're in ghost form. The reason my heart beats doubly so is because it takes the blood where I'll need it when I'm a ghost. My blood pressure is also elevated because of this. What I'm not sure about is his theory about breathing. I do know one thing, though," I began. I triggered my ghost breath, indicating to my chest. I don't need air in ghost or human form so long as I have the reserves. How much reserve I don't know. Vlad thinks three days.
"That is so weird," Tucker replied. They were hearing me in their heads (maybe. It might be their own voices like it was when I first started hearing voices).
"I've always said whatever you can do in ghost form you can do in human form but I never imagined that," Sam replied. "How long have you went without breathing?"
"A day," I replied, ceasing the ghost breath. "I escaped Vlad and that's the reason it's not two."
"What are you talking about," Tucker said, his eyes going wide.
"Vlad swelled my throat shut so I couldn't breathe," I replied. "When it was time to eat, he wanted to show me how to eat with a swelled throat but I took my food and ran… well, flew." I smiled. "I came back and he punished me."
"Danny," Sam and Tucker said sadly.
"Don't worry about it," I replied. "I've come to terms with most of what happened through that week."
"No wonder you were a nervous wreck," Tucker replied. "I can't believe we didn't see it when you told us the two were the same."
"I'm glad you didn't," I said, holding my head down. "It's took me a long time to accept what happened that week. If you asked me about the thirty-two hours, I'd shut down though."
"It must have been bad," Sam said, her eyes watering. "We don't usually count in hours."
"It was," I replied. "I try not to think about it."
"When you're comfortable with it," Tucker began, looking me in the eye, "we're here."
"I may never be comfortable with it, guys," I said sadly. The best thing that has ever happened to me happened during that thirty-two hours but I can't get past it. Vlad definitely raped me longer on the island when I didn't return to the camper that night but nothing can touch to the intensity of the steps. Nothing can touch going through it for the first time.
"Hey," Sam said softly. "Leave that place, Danny. You've survived."
"I know," I said, looking up. "It's made me stronger, too. I learned so much through that but it was a painful grow."
"What growth isn't painful," Tucker said sadly. "Think about the portal accident. Five minutes changed our lives forever. Five tiny minutes."
"But when you're in there," I replied, "time stands still. It doesn't feel like five minutes. It feels like a moment in time and a lifetime wrapped into one. I guess that's a mixture of my worlds: the moment of a human life and the eternity of a ghost."
"It seems like it's easier for you to talk about the portal accident," Sam replied.
"It is," I replied. "I've finally come to terms with the way my life will be from now on. I'm telling you, things just keep getting weirder. Anymore, living my life as a half dead and half alive person just isn't weird."
"What gets weirder than that," Tucker declared.
"Where do I begin," I groaned. "I've went to sleep and dreamed of the future. I've faced death and survived several times. I defeated the King of All Ghosts, a thirty-three, while I was a twenty-two. I've became the King of All Ghosts. I faced my evil future self and won. I've received a power that my future-self had just developed. I've been to the free clinic. Goodness, I've done so many things that just being between two worlds seems normal."
Sam and Tucker laughed, "I guess I see what you mean."
"Oh, yeah," I declared. "Let's not forget about watching my house get up and walk away!" I started to laugh, "And hearing Phantom cuss his counterpart is still a highlight!"
"What," Sam and Tucker replied and my head snapped up.
"Ut oh," I said, staring at them in horror.
"What do you mean Phantom cussing his counterpart," Sam demanded.
"Would you believe me if I said I meant me," I asked bashfully. I knew they wouldn't. They were with them every minute they were together except when they were on the Roller Coaster.
"No," they declared.
I sighed, "It wasn't really us. When I went through the Ghost Catcher, I made two completely different ghosts and we watched from kind of an observation room. Fun Danny was obsessed with having fun while Super Danny was obsessed with being a superhero." Despite the unease in my stomach, I chuckled, "Phantom was having a hissy fit watching Super Danny go about. He was horrified that he was putting that image out for everyone to see." I laughed harder, "I remember when Super Danny told Technus that luckily he was only half ghost and tried to power down. Phantom started shooting off about exposing the secret right there in front of everyone and what good that would do."
"I always knew something wasn't right… but, I never imagined. I'm so sorry, Danny," Sam replied.
"It wasn't your fault," I said softly. "Neither one of you were at fault. You tried to warn me, Sam. Like always, I didn't listen."
"I just don't get it," Tucker said. "Why are you acting like Phantom is a separate person?"
"He is," I replied. "I hear him all the time." Actually, come to think of it, I haven't heard from him in a long time. The last time I heard from him was when I heard Lilly. Phantom? Are you there?
"Danny," Sam asked me, concerned.
"I haven't heard him in more than a month," I said panicked. "Why haven't I heard from him?"
"Danny, Phantom doesn't exist," Tucker said. "Phantom is you."
"Yeah," I replied. "I know that but he does have a conscious. When I was in the portal, I was too scared to save myself so I created someone who could. He saved me from Freakshow!"
"Danny," Sam said softly. "He's not real. He's you."
"That can't be right," I declared, looking deep within myself. I couldn't find him anywhere. "He said he was leaving," I said softly as I started to think about the last real conversation we had. All he told me was he thought it was a real baby when I found out about Lilly but before that, he told me he was trying to prevent me from becoming more than two personalities. "He did it," I said softly. It was like losing a brother. I stared into nothing as I came to terms with what this meant.
I shifted as Sam and Tucker came onto my bed. "Danny," Sam said softly. "Phantom was just a way to cope. He only existed to help you survive."
"I know that," I said softly. "He pulled me from the portal."
"No," Tucker replied. "You flew out of the portal, Danny. The force of the explosion did that for you."
"You just created Phantom to help yourself," Sam said. "You couldn't deal with the trauma of becoming half ghost so you created someone else to do it."
"But if he wasn't real, how come he left after Thanksgiving," I replied. "He had to be real, guys. He told me right after Freakshow that it was him that Vlad had hurt. He took the blunt of what happened that night."
"He continued to live through you," Sam replied. "Whatever Vlad did to you, you dealt with it by saying it didn't happen to you. You couldn't deal with what Vlad done so you said it didn't happen to me. Phantom was the one hurt."
"Then what about Freakshow," I retorted. "What about when I'd feel myself lose control and someone else would take over. After the Reunion, I was so lost. I didn't know what to do. Look at all the battles through that—the big ones. My normal patrols went by uneventful like always but Spectra affected the entire school! Johnny nearly kidnapped Jazz! Walker was a complete and total failure! I allowed Mom and I to be dragged to the Rocky Mountains with no cell phone, had my powers stolen and two people died because of my failure! I didn't see that Paulina was overshadowed by Kitty or that the C-Crew was making their move. I practically did Vlad's job for him when I made that comment in front of Dad and nearly lost the portal.
"I got cocky fighting Invincible and nearly got killed. I fell asleep during that stupid test and made you guys handle that one alone for majority of the fight! All of that was before Freakshow!"
"You've also made mistakes since then, Danny," Sam replied. "I won't go out to point out your flaws because you're still human and you're entitled to make mistakes. You made mistakes before you went to Wisconsin and you still make mistakes. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I just can't accept that he was completely made up," I said sadly. "It's almost as if I'd lost Tucker. He was my brother in so many ways."
"I know," Sam said, hugging me. Tucker hugged me too and I returned their hugs. "It's all right to mourn him, Danny. Just don't dwell on it too long. He helped you."
"Yeah, he did," I said sadly. And I'm certain if he were here now, he'd tell me to stop Vlad from moving back to Wisconsin. I released Sam and Tucker, floating up in the air. I walked over to my computer, taking my seat. "I think I know the perfect pick-me-up!"
"What," Tucker said, walking across my bed and standing behind me. Sam climbed off my bed and made the short pass to stand behind me as well.
I accessed the Paranormal Ghost Hunters website and accessed the satellite. I zoomed into Madison, Wisconsin to see Vlad outside of a house identical to his old castle. He and a man were talking and I assumed it was that Mike guy. I got an evil smirk as I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I pulled up another browser and looked up the Wisconsin division of Guys in White. "Perfect," I declared. They were right there in Madison. "We've got something to do now!"
O_O
The GIW were there within minutes of the construction company leaving. I couldn't see what was happening in the house but I could clearly see what was happening from above. Half the stuff they trashed and the other half they confiscated, clearing the lot in an hour. I watched intently as I knew Vlad would have no choice but to stay in Elemerton.
"Now that is reality TV," Tucker laughed. I joined in with him. Sam had her arms crossed across her chest.
"I bet that'll knock Vlad off his high horse," I chuckled.
"You know these kinds of things always come back to bite you, right," Sam replied.
"What's the worst that could happen," I replied. "I mean, could you imagine what Vlad's face looked like when those idiots busted in on him?"
An explosion occurred behind me and I came to my feet, resisting the urge to power up. It was loud enough for Mom and Dad to hear it. The Guys in White had their guns pointed at us, "No body move! This is a raid!"
"I think I have a pretty good idea," Sam said, not paying attention to our intruders.
This is adding insult to injury. I'm these morons boss! How dare they attack this place? "What the hell do you think you're doing," I demanded.
"We are investigating a tip," one of the guys said. They supposedly have letters for names just like the movie Men in Black staring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith but I'm not so sure I believe that one.
Men from the back started swarming my room, smashing my things to smithereens. I was furious but deep down, I knew I deserved this. Once again, Sam tried to warn me but I chose to ignore her. Sometimes, God gives you a guardian angel to help you make the right choices but you just chose to ignore her. I was crying the name of the latest victim to their assault, like 'my bed! My dresser! My desk!' and so forth but one of the guys went to destroy my television beside my door right when my dad opened the door. "My dad!"
"Danny, what on Earth is going on in here," Mom demanded as she came in.
"Stand down, Fenton's," the other guy demanded. "We're the law around here!"
"The Guys in White are trashing our house," Dad stated in shock. "They're my heroes," he said sarcastically.
"Our Intel stays you're harboring ghost fugitives," the first one remarked. "We're shutting you down: lock, stock and ghost lab!"
"Oh, no you are not," Dad declared. "You'll get to my lab over my-."
The Guys in White raised their weapons. I was about to say something when Sam (along with Dad mentioning he forgot how the rest of that went) cut me off. "Do you guys have a warrant?"
"Warrant," they both laughed.
"Laugh it up boys but your code says you cannot search private property without a search warrant unless extravagant circumstances supersedes the judge or magistrate."
The other guy started laughing, repeating Sam's saying.
"Save it, K," the main one replied. I'll be damned, they do go by letters. "We don't even know what that means." He looked to my parents, "You dodged a bullet this time. Next time you won't be so lucky!" The entire team exited our house, leaving my room in teeters and a giant gaping hole in my wall.
"I'm really glad you're up on their anti-ghost laws, Sam," I smiled at her. I knew mine but I hadn't ever considered looking into theirs.
"No problem," Sam said, looking around my room. My parents had followed the GiW out. "But they really did a number on your room."
"Yeah," I sighed, "and I don't think they acted alone."
"We're going to have to do something about that hole," Tucker remarked. "Not even you could sleep in a room like that."
"It's going to take a while," I sighed. However, Sam and Tucker's faces lit up. "And you guys want to stay at the headquarters while I'm repairing it."
"Please," they both said, drawing it out.
"Why are you asking me," I asked. "I'm not your parents?"
"Who cares about them," Sam scoffed. "Mom and Dad wouldn't even notice if I wasn't in my room."
"What about you, Tuck," I replied. "I can't say I'm staying with you because Mom will call Mom. I can't say I'll be staying with Sam for that long. My parents wouldn't believe it. What are we going to do about that?"
"Why are you worried about it now," Tucker asked. "You never worried about it before."
"True," I sighed. "I guess."
"Yes," they both declared. I smiled as well. I liked everything about staying at HQ except Sam and Tucker staying out with me. I'm afraid they'll get hurt.
O_O
Patrol was the same old same old and I was growing bored. When I'm bored, I start getting creative. When I get creative, I get into trouble. "What do you say we have a round two with Vlad?"
"You still haven't learned your lesson," Sam scoffed.
"Oh, come on," I sighed. "I'll take the consequences. I just don't want this to end this way. I like leaving things on a high note!"
"Okay," Sam sighed. "But you will have to face those consequences."
"I say to hell with the consequences and let's have fun," Tucker declared. "Danny can come up with some wickedly cool pranks!"
I opened their minds. "Let's go," I declared.
O_O
We were in the Specter Speeder and I was navigating the way using the radar. Sure enough, there was my brown dot and another brown dot in Wisconsin. Vlad was still in Madison. When we made it to the area he was at, Tucker parked the Speeder while I grabbed the Fentonfones and phased out of the vehicle. I allowed my feeling to guide me to him and attached to his wall. I waited until I heard the choppers swirling. Right on time.
I turned the wall invisible, Vlad ranting in his normal way and unaware of the scene unfolding. He's on television and he doesn't even know it. Surprising how he hasn't sensed me yet. Time to up the ante… and maybe get a little pay off. I turned a small portion of the wall intangible, allowing the wind from the helicopters to rip through his hotel room. This got his attention and I heard him declare my name. Now he senses me.
His towel loosened around his waist, exposing him right to me. I only allowed so much airtime to play out before I limited how much of the wall was invisible. That's mine after all. "You okay, Danny," I heard Sam call in my ear.
"Never better," I declared, looking Vlad over. I hadn't realized how horny I was until now. "An invisible wall! Top that, Plasmius!" I killed the invisibility and flew back to the Specter Speeder. I would get him worked up and we'd make the best love we'd ever made.
Outside of Amity Park, the footage of the invisible wall disappeared like it always does. However, in Amity Park it was a popular segment. Vlad was well known in our corner of the world so a story about him being attacked by a pranking ghost was hilarious. No one thought twice about it. Some ghost just decided to play a prank on the billionaire from Madison. However, what they never assumed was their perfect little angel Phantom was the one who pranked him. What can I say? I do have a little devil in me!
For once we could make it through school without so much attention. They had something else occupying the tiny spaces between their ears. After school, I allowed Sam and Tucker to fly the furthest they've ever flown on their own. We went to Mount Vernon in Jefferson County to shop for some things for my room. We kept to the back roads and turned invisible inside the city limit. After a little shopping, we worked on my room. I took this time to make some changes to my room. I knocked the wall of my closet out and made room for my nursery. I don't know what I'm going to do but, regardless, I will need that extra space.
I wasn't putting my new furniture in my room yet because Mom and Dad had to repair my wall. The walls of this house was specially made so they had to do everything from scratch. Mom's been furious ever since yesterday and hasn't stopped cussing the GiW. They just might get canned for this little stunt.
O_O
Before we headed back, I was going over something in my head. I know today's the anniversary of the portal accident but I wanted to do something today. Sam and Tucker trailed behind me, at a loss. I walked the floors, trying to figure it out. When I made it to the basement, it jumped out at me. "The ecto-filtrator," I declared. "It's been three months!"
"What," Sam asked.
"It's been three months since Plasmius put that bounty on me," I declared. "I wanted to change the ecto-filtrator every three months to prevent a mishap like last time." I went to the cabinet and removed a new filtrator to replace the old one with. I typed in 1 into the keypad and it opened up. I swapped the filtrators.
"Isn't that a little overkill," Sam said, crossing her arms.
"You didn't see that simulation," I replied, "or know how close it came. The King was the second time I was on the business end of a very bad countdown of death."
"Well, let's go on patrol," Sam replied. "You've averted disaster."
"This isn't disaster," I remarked. "When it's counting down, then it's disaster."
O_O
Of all the rotten times to be horny. With us staying at HQ, Sam and Tucker are spending every waking moment with me except for the two periods we don't have together. Maybe during eighth period I'll go give Vlad a visit. I was trying not to fall asleep as Mr. Fuluka taught Math but it was desperately hard… much like something else. I wonder if this is normal or did I just get turned on when I saw him naked? Maybe I'll check that book. It was packed full of information.
I made it through Spanish and lunch uneventfully but Gym was another situation. I always take my shower last because I've feared of being caught with the toned muscles. However, since I've started to show in the past week, I've been taking mine even later than Tucker. It's only going to get worse, after all. The upperclassmen were starting their lunches and that's where Sam and Tucker usually wait for me so we can go to Home Ec. together. I heard the laughing and the gasps and the snickering and the whoops but I always hear them. What I didn't expect to hear was Sam: "Danny!"
I looked up to see that the wall I was certain was there earlier had vanished. "Oh, no," I cried, covering my privates with one hand and my stomach with the other. If I had three hands, I swear I'd cover my breasts.
"A ghost kid with tan lines," Tucker remarked, "who knew?"
Like he's not seen me. I backed away, grabbing my towel. I should have known. Don't dish it unless you can take it. But why didn't I sense him? I'm always aware when he comes around. As I grabbed my jeans and shirt and disappeared from view, I saw the brown feathers of the pesky little vultures. "That little rat," I declared, jumping in my underwear. Out of everyone's sights, I phased into my clothes, going back into the lion's den. I put my hand on the wall and it went through it. Intangibility. The guys were laughing and the girls were sighing but I ignored them. I jumped through the wall: "You!"
"I think it's our time to go," one of the vultures said to the other. Only two of them were there.
"You won't be getting away from me that easily," I replied, grabbing them by their necks. Half the wall became solid again as one of the birds were ripped away from the wall. I grabbed the second one, swinging him until he was disoriented and lost his intangibility. I threw him into the other one, running after them. They ran but I was faster. With no one around, I shot a beam at both of them. Once outside, I transformed and grabbed both of them in my hands.
"Unhand us, child," the leader declared.
"You can tell Vlad that if he ever pulls that again, I will do him the same way," I declared, throwing them out. I shot out two steams of ectoplasm, trapping them inside of it and electrocuting them. I released them from my shock, sending two more beams, these ones with kick. It was just as if the birds had a rocket launcher on their asses. They screamed as they soared into the sky. "And don't come back!"
O_O
Any thoughts of sex vanished as I had to endure the next two periods. The last period, the one I had planned on skipping just a few hours ago, was the worse. I sunk in my seat, listening to the teacher trying to gain control. None of these kids had seen the incident but that didn't stop them from experiencing it. Some of the upperclassmen had snapped some pictures. I appreciated the ones the guys took because it was more wide-shot. The ones the girls took, you couldn't even tell it was me. There were a few shots of my toning but most of them had took pictures of my crotch. It was humiliating.
At least I only exposed Vlad for a few seconds except for me. To think I ever wanted to make love to him again. I crossed my arms, grunting. He'd be lucky to see me at all.
Sam and Tucker were sympathetic towards me but there was nothing they could do. When patrol started up, Sam and Tucker offered not to go to the Nasty Burger. I couldn't do that. I had to hold my ground. Besides, the Nasty Burger was a perfect place to start patrol. It was in the center of the business district. If the ghosts attacked anywhere, it was where there were crowds.
I was about to bite into my Nasty Burger when someone grabbed it. I looked up shocked to see the GiW again. Why are these guys back? "This is an evacuation," the main one declared. "Everyone out!"
"For what," I declared, removing my hamburger from his hands. "I paid for this!"
"By order of the new owner," he replied, stealing my hamburger again, "and you'll be refunded."
"New owner," I asked, confused.
"That's right, Daniel," Vlad said. I jumped up as I heard his voice. How the hell? Why didn't I sense him? "As the new proprietor of this place, it is my duty to destroy it. It has Ectobestos after all."
"What," I declared. "There's no such thing!"
"Oh, well," Vlad smiled at me. I glared back at him.
"Can I at least have my hamburger," I asked.
"No," Vlad replied. "I'll take you and your friends out for a healthier alternative."
"Shove off," I said, passing him on my way out. I wanted to leave but I just couldn't. This was the very building where my entire family was killed. I don't know whether I should rejoice in its destruction or cry.
"Thee, two, one," the main GiW counted down. "Demolish!" Finally, the wrecking ball swung through the building. There was hardly anything left after just one swing.
"Let this be a lesson, Danny," Vlad said, bending down to my ear. "I put the Pro in Quid-Pro-Quo—not that you're bright enough to know what that means."
I so don't know what that is, but, "I get the picture," I declared. "And I don't like it! This isn't over, Plasmius!"
"Oh, goody," Vlad said. "I do so love being the challenger." We disappeared back to HQ. I did not want to put up with his crap.
O_O
After patrol, I returned home to release the ghosts. I allowed Mom to keep a dozen a day but that was it. She wanted the full amount but the ghosts I deal with were dangerous. She was still happy with the number she got so she rarely caused me any grief about 'going out'. Mom knew that I was ghost hunting (and so did Dad for that matter) but she knew that I was staying somewhere at night. I never gave her a definitive answer, choosing to instead say that I'd decide later depending on my mood.
Over the next three days, nothing big really happened. Mom and Dad kept working on my wall, we were staying at the headquarters and Sam and Tucker were with me every minute of the day except for one hour and thirty minutes when they went to the two classes I didn't have with them. On Monday, we did have an issue when we discovered a mummy ghost on a field trip. Tucker got a case of big headedness again and I had to put his ego back in check. This was taking place on the school elections which is one day before town elections. Dash was elected president of the tenth grade for next year.
On Tuesday, my room was finally finished. That didn't please Sam and Tucker but I was happy to have my room ready. As I explained to them, I still had to add furniture. I was about to head out to patrol and had stopped to tell Mom and Dad I was leaving when Dad cut me off.
"It's election day, Daniel, and I've got my votin' shoes on," Dad replied. I stopped my hurried response to walk over. Faster than I thought was humanly possible, Dad had decked me out in some kind of garb. I looked down at my chest to read a pin.
"Vlad Masters for mayor," I declared in shock.
Mom sighed disapprovingly. "He's a last minute write in candidate. At least this way he's redirecting his sociopathic lonely batchelorhood into something positive but he doesn't care about other people!"
"And that's why he'll make a great politician," Dad declared. Well, at least he knows it.
I removed the propaganda I had written all over me, throwing in into the floor. Suddenly, I heard Vlad's voice and turned in the direction of the TV, "… I hope to breathe new life into this town!"
"That's my Vlad. Breathing life and taking names," Dad declared. "Go Vladdy!"
"I've got to go," I declared, running towards the living room. I transformed, blasting up through the roof. It was the safest way to go. "They say you can't fight city hall but they never said you couldn't fight in it!"
O_O
I waited impatiently for Vlad to finish his interview. I was just below his feet, intangible. I couldn't feel him and he couldn't feel me, I'm sure. I'm almost positive that this was because we were getting used to it. The lack of personal touch probably played a factor. When haven't I been with Vlad before we became a couple and he wasn't raping me? I'd say it's safe to say that if we interacted actively again, we could feel each other again.
"And those were beauty marks," Vlad remarked.
"That's debatable," the reporter remarked. She left, finally allowing me some alone time with my sweetie pie.
I reached my hands up, grabbing his ankle and phased him through the floor. His cries of surprise was all the answer I needed to answer my question from earlier. He in fact did not sense me.
"Daniel," Vlad replied in a calm voice. "Come to wish your sweetheart good luck, have we?"
"Save it, Plasmius," I declared. "Whatever you're doing, it ends now! This has gone on long enough."
"Oh, I assure you it is just beginning," he replied. He transformed into Plasmius but I treated entering the mayoral race as his first attack. I hit him first. I stared in shock as I saw how far my hit sent him. Sure, I put more effort into that hit than I normally do but, dang, it's usually because he requires more force.
"Wow, Plasmius is a little rusty," I said. "Which is all the invitation I need." He's gone soft in the last few months. He hasn't done anything since the King!
I tossed him around a bit, adding some witty banter as I went along. He was just too easy. "Man," I declared, "You have lost your edge. Why don't you go back home and look for it?"
"Fool," Vlad declared, causing me to float backwards a little. "Do you really think I'm this weak? I'm more powerful than you could even imagine. Even now my power increases! Look!"
I looked in the direction he pointed and these formless black Plasmius-cutouts were everywhere. Were they all duplicates? They descended towards the earth and I watched in horror as they started to overshadow the voters. I was for a complete loss. What could I do to stop this? There were just too many of them. Even if I expelled a few, I couldn't possibly stop them all. I'm defenseless against this attack.
Vlad chuckled cruelly. I heard my dad below, declaring, "Move out of my way! I'm voting for Vlad." A Plasmius look-a-like entered in my Dad, and he repeated himself.
No! "Dad," I cried, taking to the air. Plasmius smacked me, and because I was startled I hit the brick wall. I crashed through it, hitting a car and bending it in half. Vlad descended on me, his full power returning. I screamed, diving out of the way.
"What is it you young folk say," Vlad said. "Don't hate, congratulate." He chuckled again, "Oh, what do I care? Go ahead and hate!"
Vlad powered down and moments later, the reporters and the voters surrounded him. They all started to chant his name, Dad in the lead. The reporter started asking him some questions. I glared at Vlad but knew there was nothing I can do. Even if I took matters in my own hands and redid the election, what's not to say Vlad wouldn't repeat the procedure. Vlad is going to be our new mayor. And I thought Montez was bad.
O_O
I so did not want to go to his acceptance speech that night after all the results had come in but Dad dragged the entire family to Vlad's headquarters. I knew he was going to win and that's why I called it an acceptance speech and not a final results reading. The other three candidates didn't have a prayer unless a hell of a lot of people early voted like Mom did.
Sam and Tucker had tagged along to support me but there was little they could do. I did appreciate their company, though. After the reporter on the television told me what I already knew, Vlad began his acceptance speech. He looked directly at me, "Now I'd like to take the time to thank a very special person in my life; someone who has helped me get where I am today. Come up here, Danny Fenton," he declared. I thought the world stopped or I killed over. This was not only in front of hundreds of people, it was being broadcasted into thousands of homes.
Dad gave me a push, sending me towards Vlad. Vlad put his hands on my shoulder and I nearly froze at the familiar feeling of him claiming me again. Vlad started to give a speech aloud but he was also giving one to me in his head. I was hearing his voice twice, one telling me how I was the one who made this mess and the other telling everyone how he will protect this town's greatest resource: the children. I have been doing well in the multitasking department but I don't think I could ever do that.
There's a lot that you can't do, Vlad said smugly. I really do need to thank you. I never realized that this was my true passion. I get to rule and I get to make your life miserable. Two for the price for one!
I don't get you, I said, feeling my world spin out of control. There was so much going on today. Something as simple as preventing you from going back to Wisconsin has created this. I know I went too far, Vlad, but you went further. I could never forgive you for this.
Who says I'm looking for your forgiveness, Vlad replied. I felt my windpipes constrict. You're not coming back. I've come to realize this. I was a fool for ever thinking that you could love me. I should have never freed you.
But I did love you, I said, my breathing becoming labored. I don't any more. "Sam, Tucker," I said, trying to catch my breath. "Get me out of here."
Sam and Tucker pulled away from the crowd in an instant, directing me outside. Even in the fresh air, I couldn't catch my breath. "Danny," Sam said, completely panicked. "Calm down!"
"This isn't happening," I said, leaning against my knees. "Why is this happening?" I was hyperventilating and I didn't know what to do.
"You did everything you could," Tucker said softly.
"I'm going to have to fight him tooth and nail," I said on the verge of tears. "I don't know if I'm that strong."
"You're the strongest person I know," Sam smiled at me. They had no idea the turmoil I was feeling. I find out Vlad was planning on moving back to Wisconsin, then all that happened at school on top of the two weeks before that, then Vlad destroys the Nasty Burger, then he overshadows the voters… all of this right after Tucker nearly got corrupted by an evil mummy ghost bent on destroying him. It was too much!
"I never thought it could cause this much trouble," I said, breathing rapidly. "I never thought the consequences could be this severe." I wasn't just talking about the town. I think Vlad is going to try to rape me again.
"No one did," Tucker declared. "Danny, you can't beat yourself up over this. Vlad is a bastard-," Tucker began.
"No," I declared. "Don't you dare call him that," I retorted. I was carrying his child. I wouldn't let Tucker or Sam bad mouth him.
"Okay," Tucker said, hiding his true feeling of confusion.
"Let's go back to HQ," Sam replied. "Maybe there you can catch your breath."
"Maybe," I said. I hoped so.
O_O
I managed to get myself under control on Wednesday and by Thursday, I thought I had died and went to heaven. One minute I was fighting a ghost and the next I was nominated to judge a beauty contest. With all the girls wanting me to pick them, everyone was paying attention to me. I couldn't believe it either because I had gained almost ten pounds in one week. My baggy clothes were starting to fill out. I wouldn't be able to fit in the clothes I wore before the accident.
On Friday, things were getting weirder with the ghosts but the attention from the girls made me worry less. I was still worried but I knew I could probably figure this out on Sunday or Monday. After all, they were all alike. Meaning they were from the same realm. Only on rare occasions does that mean a bigger issue.
Saturday was the pageant and I knew that my window of popularity was coming to a close. I wasn't even paying attention to Sam the last few days and once again I found out she was right. Why am I surprised any more? Tuck and I saved Sam although she probably could have done it on her own. However, something inside me started acting up after the big black dragon flattened me on the ground. I thought I was just experiencing a little pain but it was growing worse. With it being the sixth week anniversary of Dan, he escaped the thermos again. I was in enough pain before Clockwork showed up that night but the added stress of Dan did not help issues.
I squirmed in my bed all night Saturday but I couldn't lessen the pain. Deep contractions rocked my abdomen and exited down through my legs. My uterus would bunch up and cause me great discomfort. I tried breathing but it didn't help anything. I threw my covers off the bed and stood up slowly. I went to the bathroom but the minute I pulled my pants down, my heart sank. My underwear, despite the efforts of the maxipad I put in, was covered in blood.
I rushed back to the bedroom as fast as I could, grunting because of the extra force I put into walking. I picked up my cell phone, dialing Dr. Reynolds's number. I may have a hospital in Pariah's Keep but I trust Dr. Reynolds more. "I need help," I said. "I think I'm in preterm labor!"
"Where are you," she replied, a disturbance in the background.
"Home," I said, groaning. "Please, I beg you. She can't be born yet! I'm only twenty-three weeks along!"
"I'm on my way," she replied. "I know it's scary but you need to remain calm. Keep breathing, remain calm and don't push!"
"Hurry," I moaned. I closed the phone, tears prickling at my eyes. I've put my daughter at risk. I've allowed my lifestyle to endanger my child. This is all my fault.
AN: I'd love to get some feedback!