Hey guys. What's this? An Update? Five months later? 0.0
My bad. Anyway I keep saying I'm back but I mean it this time. I hope. I'm really sorry for the lack of updates. Those one-shots I offered ages ago are still in progress, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about them. :)
I can't believe Changes is over a year old! XD XD XD XD
Also guys there's a poll on my profile, it would be really cool if you could answer it real quick.
You should also check out Sabrina Marquez: The Ghost Thief by TheGoddessOfWriting. It's really amazing and don't worry there's no Mary Sues!
Thank you all so much for your support, it's fantastic!
And in response to Animallover-
First of all thank you for your time in reviewing. I'm going to be re-writing some of the chapters a tiny bit and the mistakes that you have spotted will make that a lot easier. I have to say, you have a very keen eye. Your constructive criticism is very helpful. One of the reasons why there is so many mistakes is because of either my spellcheck glitches out, or there is a different way of spelling certain words in Ireland. Also I'm suspicious that I could have very, very mild dyslexia. Don't get me wrong though, some words are completely spelled the wrong way and I'm trying to figure out how I never spotted them! Let's just say I'm going to be using my dictionary a lot more...XD
Anyway an example of different spelling would be for the word Fazed, as it is spelt Phased in Ireland. Another saying is that we would use the phrase 'copped on" a lot and I hadn't really thought that it wasn't a common phrase elsewhere. There probably is some more but I don't want a whole load of Author's note XD.
Anyway, thank you so much for your reviews, they have been very insightful. :)
And to the rest of the reviewers, followers and favouritors, (shh it's a word now XD) Thank you all for sticking with me and enjoy the chapter!
My thanks to caitgirl1 too for beta reading at late hours.
Mark could hear thumping. It was quite a raucous, violently jarring the director from his sleepy haze. He rubbed his eyes, curious and a little afraid.
The noise had stopped only to start up again with a resounding crash. Mark bolted up, slipping off his makeshift bed on the Fenton's couch. He ran a nervous hand through his ruffled hair. The living room was gloomy in the low light and Mark struggled to make out anything in the gloom.
He had a mini heart attack when he mistook a chair for a misshapen human form. Mark cringed when he heard more thumping, a clatter of smashing glass rang out. The director considered going back to sleep, but adrenaline was thrumming in his veins. Besides he would be thinking about what was causing the noises all night if he didn't get to the bottom of it.
Steeling his frazzled nerves, Mark tugged on his shoes. He peeked his head around the kitchen door sighing at the empty room.
CLANG!
The sound of metal hitting metal reverberated through the air. Mark clenched his fists in fright. He walked down the Fenton's hall eyeing their ajar basement door. Creeping to the entrance, Mark peeped down the dark staircase. Bright flashes silhouetted the steel walls, casting grasping shadows.
Tugging at his hair the director nervously descended the onimus steps. He could hear whining of all things. The director paused his flight or fight response commanding him to bolt. In the end Mark's curiosity won out over his fear. Gulping, he jumped down the last step to see Phantom holding a blue ghost in a neck hold.
The offending ghost was scrabbling at Phantom's arms, begging to be released.
"Let go! Let go or I will attack you with my boxes of doom!" The ghost thundered.
Phantom just raised an eyebrow and began to march towards two giant metallic blast doors. He pressed a button on what looked like a fan imitation of a Star Trek control panel. The blast doors creaked apart exposing a void of swirling green.
All Mark could do was stare completely captivated by the sight. Phantom chucked the ghost into the mass of green, pressing the same button again causing the doors to slam shut. The basement was shrouded in darkness again, the unique light source cut off.
Phantom dusted off his hands, looking around the basement with a sullen gaze. A strange white ring materialised at his waist. Startled by the ethereal glow, Mark stumbled forward knocking into some broken glass.
The glass tinkled softly but it was loud enough to cause Phantom's head to snap towards the noise. The ring abruptly cut off. Mark froze, doing his best impression of a deer caught in the headlights.
"Mark?" Phantom's fierce eyes widened in surprise and dare Mark say it, fright?
"Hi," the director replied, feeling like he had just intruded on something important, private even. Phantom looked distinctly uncomfortable, which didn't suit his usual confident persona.
"What are you doing down here?" Phantom crossed his arms and Mark couldn't help but feel like a little kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar.
"I could hear fighting, are you alright?"
Another flash of surprise flicked across Phantom's pale face, as if it was a novelty to have someone ask of his wellbeing. It made Mark's heart clench.
"Eh yeah, I'm fine," Phantom surveyed the room, scowling whenever he spotted broken equipment. Mark himself looked around the room more closely. The Fenton's basement was littered with all sorts of lab tech, microscopes, test tubes, various guns and other odd devices that Mark wouldn't even be able to name.
"What is this place? And what is that?" Mark pointed to the massive blast doors.
Phantom turned his head glancing at the doors. He rolled his shoulders and Mark cringed when he heard a loud pop.
"That is the Ghost Zone," Phantom answered bending down to pick up a smashed jar. He fecked the remains of the jar in a nearby bin with deadly accuracy. He began cleaning the room throwing destroyed equipment in various bins with a familiar ease.
"Ghost Zone,"
"Yep. Place where all the ghosts live," the Ghost Boy pushed his arm through a wall, frowning when he came out empty handed. He narrowed in on a workbench where a nondescript black flask sat. Phantom snatched the flask, peering at its contents.
"Oh," Mark watched Phantom gulp whatever was in the flask. The ghost seemed to glow brighter, or maybe that had been Mark's imagination.
"This place is the Fenton's lab. They make all their weapons and stuff in here. Don't blab about anything you see down here, it's a competitive industry, Ghost Hunting that is," Phantom's bitter tone was very off putting compared to his playful attitude earlier. Something itched in the back of Mark's head, a stray thought. Phantom's description of the lab left a bad taste in the director's mouth.
The ghost put the flask in the wall, Mark was fascinated as he tracked Phantom's arm moving through the solid steel.
"Why are you still here?" Phantom asked, but not unkindly. He floated past Mark, beckoning the director to follow. Phantom ascended the basement steps, with Mark at his heels.
They reached the living room in silence and Mark was beside himself with excitement. He finally had Phantom to himself to ask a few questions. He looked at his watch briefly and noticed the time, 3:44am. An odd time for an interview. If he could get his nerve up to start.
"What time is it?" Phantom asked abruptly, pointing at Mark's watch breaking the director from his musing.
"Quarter to four?"
"Argh,"
"Why were you fighting in the Fenton's basement?" Mark decided that that would be his first question, a little ice breaker. Phantom seemed to be cranky at the moment and Mark certainly didn't want to get on the ghost's bad side.
"The Box Ghost got out of the Zone. He's pretty harmless but he can make a mess. So you know, I shoved him back into the Zone. Why were you in the Fenton's basement?"
Mark blushed. "Maddie didn't want me to go home because she thinks I was concussed. I was staying here tonight and I woke up to crashing sounds,"
Understanding morphed on Phantom's face. "Ah. Did you get weird dreams?"
The randomness of the question caught Mark off guard.
"No?"
"Lucky. I get really strange dreams when I have a concussion," Phantom replied rubbing at his eyes. He gave Mark a knowing look.
"You can get concussions?"
"Well I still have a brain," Phantom smirked rapping his knuckles against his temple.
"I would hope so," Mark replied cheekily.
The ghost snickered, his supernatural glow illuminating the room. Strange shapes and shadows danced along the walls and furniture, flickering and changing whenever Phantom shifted his stance. Mark opened his mouth to continue his questioning but Phantom beat him to it.
"I'm going to bed, I'll see ya around Mark," Phantom vanished from sight and Mark could hear his snickering.
"That is so creepy," Mark shook his head and settled back onto the Fenton's couch. He couldn't bring himself to be disappointed at Phantom's departure, the ghost looked exhausted. Besides he'd get another chance to talk to the spectre, he was sure of it. The director drifted off to sleep easily, feeling safe and secure.
After all, there was a phantom guarding the town.
Danny decided that he would strangle the Box Ghost next time he saw him.
For the first time in ages, Danny had not been woken up by his Ghost Sense repeatedly. He supposed that it was too much to ask to get a full night's sleep. Thank God for Saturdays.
Grumbling at the dark rings lining his eye sockets, Danny trudged down the stairs hunting for something to eat. Jolting to a stop, Danny stared at the snoring form of Mark on the floor. The man looked ridiculous sprawled on the floor tangled in various blankets and pillows.
The halfa snickered softly continuing on his journey to the kitchen. He made himself some food, wolfing his meal in few bites. Leaving his plate by the sink Danny leaned against the worktop counter deep in thought.
Sam's plan was running through his head; he needed ghosts other than himself showing themselves to be sentient and had hobbies other than fighting him or wrecking than the town. Hmm. He knew Dora would help, Frostbite wouldn't hesitate either. Maybe if all the snow yetis came through the portal for a trip or something?
Danny was struck with an epiphany.
There needed to be an ambassador or a liaison between the Zone and the human world. There was no communication between the two realms.
The half ghost thrummed his fingers on the counter top. The only problem is that there is no true leader in the Ghost Zone. The Observants are only there to make sure the Zone doesn't degrade into pure chaos and prevent the Zone's destruction. As long as ghosts don't destroy the very fabric of the Zone or annoy too many powerful figures, they were pretty much left alone.
The Observants couldn't care less about the living world beyond the Zone, or what other ghosts did in the human realm.
The Zone would need to be united, or at very least seem united. Danny groaned. Ha! Good luck with that.
Sam's words flashed through his head.
They need to see ghosts doing human activities.
Ah.
Mark was awkwardly eating breakfast with Maddie and Jack Fenton. He picked and poked at his plate trying to convince himself to eat the glowing food. His stomach did some disgruntled flips every time he swallowed a tiny bite.
Maddie and Jack seemed to have no qualms at eating the mutated food, digging in with gusto.
Pushing the mess around a bit more, Mark felt even more uncomfortable when the two Fentons finished in record time, clearing their plates from the table. Jack disappeared from the room while Maddie went to get herself a drink. She frowned at Mark, either at his pale face or his full plate.
"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked concern colouring her features. Mark sighed guiltily. He didn't want to tell her that her food was eh, unsavoury.
"Ah I'm not that hungry, I'll probably eat something later. Eh thank you very much for your hospitality," he said remembering his manners that his dear old ma had drilled into his head.
"It's not a problem. Did you sleep well?"
Mark paused before answering, should he tell her that ghosts were brawling in her lab at three in the morning?
"Great actually,"
Nope. He's not opening that can of worms that is the Fenton's basement. He promised himself that next time he saw Phantom he'd ask more questions. The ghost's distaste for the lab was obvious. Mark keenly remembered the research he had been doing. (Which had been primarily focused on Phantom) The relationship between Phantom and the Fentons had been littered with misconceptions and even though they seemed to accept the ghost now, Mark didn't want to upset the peace. He had seen videos of the Fentons ruthlessly hunting down Phantom before the Vortex attack. He had seen their hostility and stubbornness. Mark would have no idea how they'd react to the fact the ghosts have battles in their very home while they were sound asleep.
Rumours of the crazy inventor Fentons circulated like an out of control wildfire. He had actually been warned on several occasions by various people to stay clear of the Fentons entirely. Now that he met them, he couldn't say he shared those people's opinions. They were fine, generous, kind people. When ghosts were not in the picture that is. Phantom seemed acutely aware of this. Even with just a handful interactions witnessed between Maddie and Phantom, Mark could easily see that there was still an undercurrent of distrust.
Mark didn't hate the Fentons, he wasn't afraid of them either, it's just their work kinda freaked him out. Actually their work was deeply unsettling to him. Talking to Phantom, seeing his behaviour struck home that Phantom was just like any other kid, albeit a bit more dead and powerful. The thought of people hunting down and firing at kids made Mark shiver in horror. The fact that the Fentons had kids themselves made the situation a bit more disturbing.
Getting back to the lab though, Mark really didn't want to bring it up again. The void of green, the Ghost Zone as Phantom had described it, greatly piqued Mark's interest. However the lab itself deeply unnerved the director. Besides, science wasn't really his thing. Science fiction sure, because that was fiction.
The lab had looked terrifying in the dark and Mark wasn't really sure he wanted to see it in its full glory bathed in cold and cynical artificial light.
Phantom's bitterness about the lab left Mark reeling for answers. He tried not to jump to conclusions but something must have happened down there. Had the Fenton's been involved? Or was he just misinterpreting the entire situation?
Maybe he was just overthinking everything? His gut told him otherwise, that something else was going on, that there was more to it than meets the eye.
If the Fentons had been involved, which was very plausible since it was their lab, then why does Phantom trust them? And they trust him, at least enough to let the ghost dump random strangers on their doorstep.
Mark really wanted to unravel the mystery of Phantom, but he was beginning to suspect that it was much deeper than he had ever imagined.
It wasn't so simple and callous as just a dead teenager, Phantom could still feel pain and emotion and for a long time nobody else seemed to acknowledge this fact, the Fentons themselves included.
Wounds must have been inflicted, and wild assumptions treated as truth. To be fair, most ghosts that did come through were causing mayhem, but if they were all sentient too, then shouldn't they be treated like living human criminals? Arrested and put on a fair trial, with lawyers and defense attorneys and all that jazz. If people didn't bother to learn more about ghosts and just answered with guns and nets and didn't even try to communicate...
Well fear and ignorance never mixed well together, it was a recipe for disaster.
Maddie lead Mark to the front door, smiling as he thanked her profusely for her hospitality. The redhead watched the director amble down the street, sighing when he had finally walked out of view.
Well that had been weird.
Phantom knocking on her door with an unconscious Hollywood director was certainly something that you didn't see everyday. Maddie really hoped that the ghost wouldn't make it a habit to dump injured people in her house.
One pleasant thing to come out of the whole mess though was to see Phantom more relaxed. Maddie was able to observe his behaviour with more subtlety. The more she saw, the guiltier she felt. It was a bone deep, gut wrenching guilt, twisting her insides and knotting her stomach. Maddie was disgusted with herself. How had she and Jack took things so far without any solid evidence and half-assed theories?
She shook her head, shame burning through her veins.
Maddie had dared to call herself a scientist, when she had been no better than a trigger happy hunter.
An urgent ring from her phone startled Maddie from her gloomy thoughts. She fished the device out of her pocket, bringing it to her ear.
"Hi there, is this Maddie Fenton?" A peppy female voice filtered through the line.
Maddie frowned, not recognising the caller. "Yes, it is. May I ask who is calling?"
"Oh sorry, my name is Zoey Clifford, I'm with Amity Park's Debate Team. I was wondering Mrs Fenton if you and your husband would be able to attend the debate tomorrow. I know it's really short notice but it would be much appreciated if you could make an appearance. We would highly value your expertise," Zoey paused for a breath and Maddie could feel the young woman's tangible excitement. Zoey's passion made Maddie cringe.
We would highly value your expertise.
Ha! Maddie didn't deserve to be called an expert anymore. The redhead wanted to decline. Her arrogant self before would have jumped at the chance to slander Phantom's name.
"Please call me Maddie. I'm not really sure Zoey, who is going to be at this debate anyway?"
"Well there's no point in trying to downplay the significance of the debate. It's being broadcast in at least five different countries internationally and the entire United States is expected to watch it as well. I don't want to pressure you Mrs- Maddie, but this debate could contribute to the Anti-Ecto laws being proposed. I know that John Mendes will be attending, as well as a few others. I think Vlad Masters is coming too. We have tried to track down the Red Huntress but she's impossible to find lately. We really need a reliable source of information regarding ghosts and you are our best bet,"
Maddie turned it over in her head. John would be a nasty piece of work, as usual. She groaned quietly just thinking about his stubborn attitude and biased views.
However debating was all about changing people's opinions, maybe she could use this to fix her mistakes, to somehow elevate the crushing guilt. She could defend Phantom at the very least.
"Okay,"
"Okay?! OMG guys she said yes! Oh eh sorry. We were really stuck in a tight spot. Please meet us at 12 in the Ghost Watch HQ, conference room 2. Thanks so much, I can't wait to hear from you. Bye!" The call went dead.
This was her chance, Maddie balled her hands into fists. Her mouth set in a thin determined line.
She was not going to mess this up.
THANKS FOR READING!